PRINCETON,  N.  J. 

^       BV  4811 "  .'W66  1847        ~ 
^^       Winslow,  Octavius,  d.  1878. 
Personal  declension  and 
^i^^ij  revival  of  religion  in  the 


'n'^ 


*J>i» 


PEESOIAL    DECLENSIOI 


REVIVAL    OF    RELIGION 


THE    SOUL. 


REV.   OCTAVIUS   WINSLOW, 

AUTHOR   OF   "  THE   EXPERIMENTAL  ANB   PRACTICAL  VIEW  OF  THE  WORK   OP  THE 
HOLY   SPIRIT  ;"    "  THE   ATONEJIENT,"   ETC, 


NEW   YORK: 

ROBERT  CARTER,  58  CANAL   STREET, 
AND  PITTbBURG,  56  MARKET  STREET. 

1847. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  1.  Page 

Incipient  Declension 9 

CHAPTER  n. 
Declension  in  Love 43 

CHAPTER  in. 
Declension  in  Faith 73 

CHAPTER  IV. 
Declension  in  Prayer j  J2 

CHAPTER  V. 
Declension  in  Connexion  with  Doctrinal  Error ]  39 

CHAPTER  VI. 
On  Grieving  the  Spirit , 160 

CHAPTER  VII. 
The  Fruitless  and  the  Fruitful  Professor   183 

CHAPTER  VIII. 
The  Lord,  the  Restorer  of  his  People 212 

CHAPTER  IX. 
The  Lord,  the  Keeper  of  his  People 235 


~SJ'^- 


.ft£C.  NOV  188)  r 

RECOMMENDATION. 


I  obtained  last  summer  a  copy  of  "  Personal  Declen- 
sion AND  Revival  of  Religion  in  the  Soul,  by  the 
Rev.  Octavius  Winslow,"  and  read  it  with  deep  in- 
terest, and,  I  trust,  some  edification.  ^Deeming  it  exceed- 
ingly well  calculated  for  usefulness  in  the  Christian 
Church,  I  at  once  cherished  the  desire  that  it  might  be 
republished  on  this  side  of  the  Atlantic,  and  am  now 
gratified  that  this  desire  is  to  be  realized.  The  volume 
is  pervaded  by  a  rich  vein  of  sound  evangelical  senti- 
ment, in  a  spirit  and  form  eminently  experimental  and 
practical.  The  topics  of  which  it  treats  are  at  all  times 
highly  important,  and  deserving  constant  and  careful 
consideration  ;  but  in  the  present  position  and  aspect  of 
the  Church  of  Christ,  when  the  love  of  many  waxes  cold, 
and  conformity  to  the  world  is  apparently  extending  and 
increasing,  and  the  influence  of  the  Spirit  in  the  conver- 
sion of  Sinners  is  very  greatly  and  widely  restrained, 
they  demand  immediate,  earnest,  and  prayerful  attention 
and  improvement  from  every  disciple  of  Christ.  The 
revival  of  the  work  of  the  Spirit  in  the  Churches  is  inti- 
mately connected  with  and  must  be  preceded  by  the 
revival  of  personal  religion  in  the  hearts  and  lives  of 
Christians.  The  "  time  of  God's  favor  in  arising  and 
having  mercy  upon  Zion,"  is  when  amid  deep  searching 
and  faithful  discipline  of  heart,  "  his  servants  take  plea- 


VI  RECOMMENDATION. 

sure  in  her  stones,  and  favor  the  dust  thereof."  Mr. 
Winslow  has  published  several  volumes,  all  of  a  similar 
character,  highly  evangelical,  and  practical.  Two  of 
these  have  been  republished  here,  viz.,  "  The  Inquirer 
directed  to  an  Experimental  arid  Practical  View  of  the 
Atonement,"  and  "  The  Inquirer  directed  to  an  Experi- 
mental and  Practical  View  of  the  Work  of  the  Holy  Spirit."  • 
Very  few  modern  writers  remind  me  more  of  the  marrow 
of  sound  doctrine  and  rich  experience  in  the  old  Puritan 
Divines,  than  the  author  of  this  volume.  Mr.  Winslow 
has  for  a  number  of  years  past  been  settled  as  a  Pastor 
of  the  Baptist  Church  at  Leamington,  Warwickshire, 
England.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Evangelical  Alli- 
ance formed  at  London  in  August,  where  I  learned  to 
esteem  him  in  the  brief  intercourse  I  had  with  him,  and 
the  spirit  which  I  saw  him  uniformly  manifest,  and  where 
I  found  the  general  estimation  in  which  he  was  held  by 
the  whole  Christian  community.  I  trust  this  volume  will 
gain  a  wide  circulation  in  our  Christian  Churches,  and 
be  owned  by  the  great  and  blessed  Head  of  the  Church 
in  rendering  it  extensively  instrumental  in  reviving  per- 
sonal religion  in  the  souls  of  his  children ;  and  so  gradu- 
ally, largely,  and  widely  reviving  the  Work  of  the  Spirit 
in  all  the  Churches. 

THOMAS  DE  WITT. 
New  York,  January  1,  1847. 


\theo 


PREFACE 


That  the  subject  on  which  this  humble  volume  treats  is  vastly  sol- 
emn and  deeply  searching,  every  true  believer  in  Jesus  must  ac- 
knowledge. The  existing  necessity  for  such  a  work  has  long  im- 
pressed itself  upon  the  Author's  mind.  While  other  and  abler 
writers  are  employing  their  pens,  either  in  defending  the  out-posts 
of  Christianity,  or  in  arousing  a  slumbering  church  to  an  increased 
intensity  of  personal  and  combined  action  in  the  great  work  of  Chris- 
tian benevolence,  he  has  felt  that  if  he  might  but  be  instrumental,  in 
ever  so  humble  a  way,  of  occasionally  withdrawing  the  eye  of  the 
believer  from  the  dazzling  and  almost  bewildering  movements  around 
him,  and  fixing  it  upon  the  state  of  ins  own  personal  religion,  he 
would  be  rendering  the  Christian  church  a  service,  not  the  less 
needed  and  important  in  her  present  elevated  and  excited  position. 

It  must  be  admitted,  that  the  character  and  the  tendencies  of  the 
age  are  not  favorable  to  deep  and  mature  reflection  upon  the  hidden, 
spiritual  life  of  the  soUl.  Whirled  along  as  the  church  of  God  is,  in 
her  brilliant  path  of  benevolent  enterprise, — deeply  engaged  in  con- 
certing and  in  carrying  out  new  and  far-reaching  plans  of  aggression 
upon  the  dominion  of  sin, — and  compelled  in  one  hand  to  hold  the 
spiritual  sword  in  defence  of  the  faith,  which,  with  the  other  she  is 
up-building,— but  few  energies  are  left,  and  but  little  time  is  afforded, 
for  close,  faithful,  and  frequent  dealing  with  the  personal  and  spirit- 
ual state  of  grace  in  the  soul;  which,  in  consequence  of  thus  being 
overlooked  and  uncultivated,  may  fall  into  a  state  of  the  deepest  and 
most  painful  declension.  "They  made  me  keeper  of  the  vineyards ; 
but  mine  own  vineyard  have  I  not  kept." 


Vm  PREFACE. 

It  is,  then,  the  humble  design  of  the  writer  in  the  present  work, 
for  awhile  to  withdraw  the  mind  from  the  consideration  of  the  mere 
externals  of  Christianity,  and  to  aid  the  believer  in  answering  the 
solemn  and  searching  inquiry, — "  What  is  the  present  spiritual  state 
of  my  soul  before  God  1"  In  the  following  pages  he  is  exhorted  to 
forget  the  Christian  profession  he  sustains,  the  party  badge  he  wears, 
and  the  distinctive  name  by  which  he  is  known  among  men, — to 
turn  aside  for  a  brief  hour  from  all  religious  duties,  engagements,  and 
excitement,  and  to  look  this  question  fully  and  fairly  in  the  face. 

With  human  wisdom  and  eloquence  the  Author  has  not  seen  fit 
to  load  and  adorn  his  work:  the  subject  presented  itself  to  his  mind 
in  too  solemn  and  awful  an  aspect  for  this.  The  ground  he  tra- 
versed he  felt  to  be  so  holy,  that  he  had  need  to  put  off  the  shoes  from 
his  feet,  and  to  lay  aside  everything  that  was  not  in  strict  harmony 
with  the  spiritual  character  of  his  theme.  That  the  traces  of  human 
imperfection  may  be  found  on  every  page,  no  one  can  be  more  con- 
scious than  the  Author, — no  one  more  deeply  humbled.  Indeed,  so 
affecting  to  his  own  mind  has  been  the  conviction  of  the  feeble  man- 
ner in  which  the  subject  is  treated,  that  but  for  a  deep  sense  of  its 
vast  importance,  and  the  demand  that  exists  for  its  discussion  in 
almost  any  shape,  he  would  more  than  once  have  withdrawn  his 
book  from  the  press.  May  the  Spirit  of  God  accompany  its  perusal 
with  power  and  unction,  and  to  Him,  as  unto  the  Father  and  the 
Son  shall  be  ascribed  the  glory ! 


CHAPTER   I. 

INCIPIENT      DECLENSION. 
"  The  backslider  in  heart." — Proi\  xiv.  14. 

If  there  is  one  consideration  more  humbling  than 
another  to  a  spiritually-minded  believer,  it  is,  that, 
after  all  God  has  done  for  him, — after  all  the  rich 
displays  of  his  grace,  the  patience  and  tenderness 
of  his  instructions,  the  repeated  discipline  of  his 
covenant,  the  tokens  of  love  received,  and  the  lessons 
of  experience  learned,  there  should  still  exist  in  the 
heart  a  principle,  the  tendency  of  which  is  to  secret, 
perpetual,  and  alarming  departuie  fiom  God  !  Truly, 
there  is  in  this  solemn  fact,  that  which  might  well 
lead  to  the  deepest  self-abasement  before  Him. 

If,  in  the  present  early  stage  of  our  inquiiy  into 
this  subject,  we  might  be  permitted  to  assign  a  cause 
for  the  growing  power,  which  this  latent,  subtle  prin- 
ciple is  allowed  to  exert  in  the  soul,  we  would  refer 
to  the  believer's  constant  forgetfulness  of  the  truth, 
that  there  is  no  essential  element  in  divine  grace  that 
can  secure  it  from  the  deepest  declension ;  that,  if 
left  to  its  self-sustaining  energy,  such  are  the  hostile 
influences  by  which  it  is  surrounded,  such  the  severe 
assaults  to  wliich  it  is  exposed,  and  such  the  feeble 
resistance  it  is  capable  of  exerting,  there  is  not  a 
moment — splendid  though  its  former  victories  may 


10  INCIPIENT    DECLENSION. 

have  been — in  which  the  incipient  and  secret  pro- 
gress of  declension  may  not  have  commenced  and 
be  going  forward  in  the  soul !  There  is  a  proneness 
in  us  to  deify  the  graces  of  the  Spirit.  AVe  often 
think  of  faith  and  love,  and  their  kindred  graces,  as 
though  they  were  essentially  omnipotent ;  forgetting 
that  though  they  undoubtedly  are  divine  in  their  ori- 
gin, spiritual  in  their  nature,  and  sanctifying  in  their 
effects,  they  yet  are  sustained  by  no  self-supporting 
power,  but  by  constant  communications  of  life  and 
nourishment  from  Jesus  ;  that,  the  moment  of  their 
being  left  to  their  inherent  strength,  is  the  moment 
of  their  certain  declension  and  decay. 

We  must  here,  how-ever,  guard  a  precious  and  im- 
portant truth  ;  viz.,  the  indestructible  nature  of  true 
grace.  Divine  grace  in  the  soul  can  never  really 
die  ;  true  faith  can  never  utterly  and  finally  fail. 
We  are  speaking  now  but  of  their  decay.  A  flower 
may  droop,  and  yet  live  ;  a  plant  may  be  sickly,  and 
yet  not  die.  In  the  lowest  stage  of  spiritual  declen- 
sion, in  the  feeblest  state  of  grace,  there  is  a  life  that 
never  dies.  In  the  midst  of  all  his  startlings  aside, 
the  ebb  and  the  flow,  the  wandering  and  the  restor- 
ing, the  believer  in  Jesus  is  "  kept  by  the  power  of 
God  through  faith  unto  salvation."  He  cannot 
utterly  fall;  he  cannot  finally  be  lost.  The  immu- 
tability of  God  keeps  him. — the  covenant  of  grace 
keeps  him, — the  finished  work  of  Jesus  keeps  him, 
— the  indweUing  of  the  Spirit  keeps  him,  and  keeps 
him  to  eternal  glory.  We  say,  then,  true  grace  is 
indestructible  grace ;  it  can  never  die.  But  it  may 
decay  ;  and  to  the  consideration  of  this  solemn  and 


INCIPIENT    DECLENSION.  11 

important  subject,  the  reader's  serious  attention  is 
now  invited.  We  propose  to  exhibit  the  subject  of 
Personal  Declension  of  Religion  in  the  Soul  in  some 
of  its  varied  and  prominent  forms  and  phases,  and  to 
direct  to  those  means  which  God  has  ordained  and 
blessed  to  its  restoration  and  revival. 

Believing,  as  we  do,  that  no  child  of  God  ever  re- 
cedes into  a  state  of  inward  declension  and  outward 
backsliding,  but  by  slow  and  gradual  steps ;  and  be- 
lieving, too,  that  a  process  of  spiritual  decay  may  be 
going  forward  within  llie  secret  recesses  of  the  soul, 
and  not  a  suspicion  or  a  fear  be  awakened  in  the 
mind  of  the  believer  ;  we  feel  it  of  the  deepest  mo- 
ment that  this  state  should  first  be  brought  to  view 
in  its  incipient  and  concealed  form.  May  the  Lord 
the  Spirit  fill  the  writer  and  the  reader's  mind  with 
Ught,  the  heart  with  lowliness,  and  raise  and  fix  the 
eye  of  faith  simply  and  solely  upon  Jesus,  as  we  pro- 
ceed in  the  unfolding  of  a  theme  so  purely  spiritual 
and  so  deeply  heart-searching  ! 

We  commence  with  a  brief  exposition  of  a  doc- 
trine which  must  be  regarded  as  forming  the  ground- 
work of  our  subject;  viz.,  the  life  of  God  in 
THE  SOUL  OF  MAN.  The  believer  in  Jesus  is  a  par- 
taker of  the  divine  nature.  2  Pet.  i.  4.  He  is  "  born 
of  the  Spirit ;"  Christ  dwelleth  in  him  by  faith  ;  and 
this  constitutes  his  new  and  spiritual  life.  A  single 
but  emphatic  expression  of  the  apostle's,  unfolds  the 
doctrine  and  confirms  the  fact,  "  Christ  in  you." 
Col.  i.  27.  It  is  not  go  much  that  the  believe?'  lives, 
as  that  Christ  lives  in  him.  Thus  tiie  apostle  ex- 
presses it:  "I  am  crucified  with  Christ:  neverthe- 


12  INCIPIENT    DECLENSION. 

less  I  live  ;  yet  not  I,  but  Christ  liveth  in  me."  Do 
we  look  at  the  history  of  Paul  as  illustrative  of  the 
doctrine  ?  Behold  the  grand  secret  of  his  extraor- 
dinary life.  He  lived  unreservedly /or  Christ;  and 
the  spring  of  it  was,  Christ  lived  spiritually  in  him. 
This  it  was  that  rendered  him  so  profound  in  wis- 
dom, rich  in  knowledge,  bold  in  preaching,  undaunted 
in  zeal,  unwearied  in  toil,  patient  in  suffering,  and 
successful  in  labor  ; — Christ  lived  in  him.  And  this 
forms  the  high  and  holy  life  of  every  child  of  God  ; — 
"  Christ  who  is  our  life."  To  him,  as  the  covenant 
head  and  mediator  of  his  people,  it  was  given  to 
have  life  in  himself,  that  he  might  give  eternal  life 
to  as  many  as  the  Father  had  given  him.  Christ 
possesses  this  Hfe,  (John  v.  26  ;)  Christ  communi- 
cates it,  (John  V.  25  ;)  Christ  sustains  it,  (John  vi. 
57  ;)  and  Christ  crowns  it  with  eternal  glory,  (John 
xvii.  24.) 

A  peculiar  characteristic  of  the  life  of  God  in  the 
soul,  is,  that  it  is  concealed.  "  Your  life  is  hid  with 
Christ  in  God."  It  is  a  hidden  life.  Its  nature,  its 
source,  its  actings,  its  supports,  are  veiled  from  the  ob- 
servation of  men.  "  The  world  knoweth  us  not." 
It  knew  not  Jesus  when  he  dwelt  in  the  flesh,  else  it 
would  not  have  crucified  the  Lord  of  life  and  glory. 
Is  it  any  wonder  that  it  knows  him  not,  dwelling, 
still  deeper  veiled,  in  the  hearts  of  his  members  ? 
It  crucified  Christ  in  his  own  person,  it  has  crucified 
him  in  the  persons  of  his  saints,  and,  if  power  were 
given,  would  so  crucify  him  yet  again.  And  yet 
there  is  that  in  the  divine  life  of  the  believer,  which 
awakens  the  wonderment  of  a  Christ-rejecting  world. 


INCIPIENT    DECLENSION.  13 

That  the  believer  should  be  unknown,  and  yet  well 
known  ;  should  die,  and  yet  live  ;  should  be  chast- 
ened, and  yet  not  killed ;  sorrowful,  yet  always  re- 
joicing ;  poor,  yet  making  many  rich ;  having 
nothing,  and  yet  possessing  all  things,  is  indeed  an 
enigma — a  paradox  to  a  carnal  mind.  Yea,  there 
are  moments  when  the  believer  is  a  mystery  to  him- 
self. How  the  divine  hfe  in  his  soul  is  sustained  in 
the  midst  of  so  much  that  enfeebles,  kept  alive  sur- 
rounded by  so  much  that  deadens,  the  glimmering 
spark  not  extinguished,  though  obscured,  amid  the 
billows ;  to  drop  all  figure, — how  the  soul  advances 
when  most  opposed,  soars  when  most  burdened,  re- 
joices when  most  afflicted,  and  sings  the  sweetest  and 
the  loudest,  when  the  cross  presses  the  heaviest,  and 
the  thorn  pierces  the  deepest,  may  well  cause  him  to 
exclaim,  "  I  am  a  wonder  to  others,  but  a  greater 
wonder  to  myself!"  But,  if  the  nature  and  the  sup- 
ports of  the  divine  life  in  the  soul  are  hid,  not  so  are 
its  effects,  and  these  prove  its  existence  and  reality. 
The  world  has  its  keen,  detecting  eye  upon  the  be- 
liever. It  marks  well  his  every  step,  it  ponders  nar- 
rowly his  every  going,  it  investigates  and  analyses 
closely  his  secret  motives.  No  flaw,  no  deviation,  no 
compromise,  escapes  its  notice  or  its  censure :  it  ex- 
pects, and  it  has  a  right  to  expect,  perfect  harmony  of 
principle  and  practice  ;  it  rebukes,  and  it  has  a  right 
to  rebuke,  any  marked  discrepancy  between  the  two. 
We  say,  then,  that  the  effects  of  the  life  of  God  in 
the  soul  of  the  believer  are  observed  by  an  ungodly 
world.  There  is  that  in  the  honest  upright  walk  of 
a  child  of  God,  which  arrests  the  attention  and 
2 


14  INCIPIENT    DECLENSION. 

awakens  the  surprise  of  men,  who,  while  they  hate 
and  despise,  cannot  but  admire  and  marvel  at  it. 

Yet  another  characteristic  of  the  divine  life  in  the 
soul,  is  its  security.  '  Your  life  is  hid  with  Christ 
in  God.''  There,  nothing  can  touch  it :  no  power 
can  destroy  it.  It  is  '  hid  with  Christ,'  the  beloved 
Son  of  the  Father,  the  delight,  the  glory,  the  richest 
and  most  precious  treasure  of  Jehovah  :  still  more, — 
it  is  '  hid  with  Christ  in  God.^  in  the  hand,  in  the 
heart,  in  the  all-sufficiency,  yea,  in  the  eternity  of 
God.  Oh  the  perfect  security  of  the  spiritual  life  of 
the  believer  !  No  power  on  earth  or  in  hell  can  move 
it.  It  may  be  stormed  by  Satan,  assaulted  by  cor- 
ruption, scorned  by  men,  and  even  in  the  moment  of 
unbelief  and  in  the  hour  of  deep  trial  its  existence 
doubted  by  the  believer  himself ;  yet,  there  it  is,  deep 
lodged  in  the  eternity  of  God,  bound  up  in  the  heart 
and  Avith  the  existence  of  Jehovah,  and  no  foe  can 
destroy  it.  "  As  soon,"  says  Charnock,  "  might  Satan 
pull  God  out  of  heaven,  undermine  the  security  of 
Christ,  and  tear  him  from  the  bosom  of  the  Father, 
as  deprive  the  believer  of  his  spiritual  life,  or  destroy 
that  principle  of  grace  which  God  has  implanted  in 
him."  But  a  greater  than  Charnock  has  declared, 
"  I  give  unto  them  eternal  life ;  and  they  shall  never 
perish,  neither  shall  any  man  pluck  them  out  of  my 
hand."  John  x.  28.  Let  the  sheep  and  the  lambs 
of  the  '  little  flock'  rejoice  that  the  Shepherd  lives, 
and  that  because  he  lives  they  shall  live  also.  But 
we  .now  pass  to  the  consideration  of  the  declension 
of  this  life  in  the  soul. 

By  a  state  of  incipient  declension^  we  mean  that 


INCIPIENT    DECLENSION.  15 

decay  of  spiritual  life  and  grace  in  the  believ^er  which 
marks  its  earliest  and  more  concealed  stage.  It  is 
latent  and  hidden,  and  therefore  the  least  suspected 
and  the  more  dangerous.  The  painful  process  of 
spiritual  disease  may  be  advanced  in  the  soul  so  se- 
cretly, so  silently,  and  so  unobservedly,  that  the  sub- 
ject of  it  may  have  lost  much  gl^und,  may  have 
parted  with  many  graces  and  much  vigor,  and  may 
have  been  beguiled  into  an  alarming  state  of  spirit- 
ual barrenness  and  decay,  before  even  a  suspicion  of 
his  real  condition  has  been  awakened  in  his  breast. 
Like  Samson,  he  may  awaken  out  of  his  sleep,  and 
say,  "  1  will  go  out  as  at  other  times  before,  and 
shake  myself.  And  he  wist  not  that  the  Lord  was 
departed  from  him."  Judges  xvi.  20.  Or  he  may 
resemble  Ephraim,  of  whom  it  is  recorded,  "  Strang- 
ers have  devoured  his  strength,  and  he  knoweth  it 
not ;  yea,  grey  hairs  are  here  and  there  upon  him, 
yet  he  knoweth  it  not."  Hos.  vii.  9.  This  is  the 
state  of  the  soul  we  are  now  to  examine, — a  state 
that  has  to  do,  not  with  the  outward  observation  of 
men,  but  more  especially  and  immediately  with  a 
holy  and  heart-searching  God.  In  looking  into  the 
state  of  a  backslider  in  heart,  we  may,  in  the  first 
place,  show  what  an  incipient  state  of  declension  does 
not  necessarily  involve. 

And  first ;  it  does  not  involve  any  alteration  in 
the  essential  character  of  divine  grace,  but  is  a  secret 
decay  of  the  health,  vigor,  and  exercise  of  that  grace 
in  the  soul.  As  in  tne  animal  frame,  the  heart  loses 
nothing  of  its  natural  function,  when,  through  dis- 
ease,  it  sends  but  a   faint  and    languid    pulsation 


'  16  INCIPIENT    DECLENSION. 

through  the  system  ;  so  in  the  spiritual  constitution 
of  the  behever,  divine  grace  may  be  sickly,  feeble, 
and  inoperative,  and  yet  retain  its  character  and  its 
properties.  The  pulse  may  beat  faintly,  but  still  it 
beats  ;  the  seed  may  not  be  fruitful,  but  it  '  liveth 
and  abideth  for  ever ;'  the  divine  nature  may  be  lan- 
guid, but  it  can  iftver  assimilate  or  coalesce  with  any 
other,  and  must  always  retain  its  divinity  untainted 
and  unchanged.  And  yet,  without  changing  its  na- 
ture, divine  grace  may  decline  to  an  alarming  extent 
in  its  power  and  exercise.  It  may  be  sickly,  droop- 
ing, and  ready  to  die  ;  it  may  become  so  enfeebled 
through  its  decay,  as  to  present  an  ineffectual  resist- 
ance to  the  inroads  of  strong  corruption  ;  so  low, 
that  the  enemy  may  ride  rough-shod  over  it  at  his 
will ;  so  inoperative  and  yielding,  that  sloth,  world- 
liness,  pride,  carnality,  and  other  kindred  vices,  may 
obtain  an  easy  and  unresisted  conquest. 

This  decay  of  grace  may  be  advancing,  too,  with- 
out any  marked  decline  in  the  spiritual  perception  of 
the  judgment,  as  to  the  beauty  and  fitness  of  spiritual 
truth.  The  loss  of  spiritual  enjoyment,  not  of  a 
s'^\ni\xd\  percejytion  of  the  lo\eliness  and  harmony 
of  the  truth,  shall  be  the  symptom  that  betrays  the 
true  condition  of  the  soul.  The  judgment  shall  lose 
none  of  its  light,  but  the  heart  much  of  its  fervor  ; 
the  truths  of  revelation,  especially  the  doctrines  of 
grace,  shall  occupy  the  same  prominent  position  as  to 
their  value  and  beauty,  and  yet  the  influence  of 
these  truths  may  be  scarcely  felt.  The  Word  of 
God  shall  be  assented  to  ;  but  as  the  instrument  of 
sanctification,  of  abasement,  of  nourishment,  the  be- 


INCIPIENT    DECLENSION.  17 

liever  may  be  an  almost  utter  stranger  to  it ;  yea,  he 
must  necessarily  be  so,  while  this  process  of  secret 
declension  is  going  forward  in  his  soul. 

Tliis  incipient  state  of  declension  may  not  involve 
any  lowering  of  the  standard  of  hoUness  ;  and  yet 
there  shall  be  no  ascending  of  the  heart,  no  reaching 
forth  of  the  mind  towards  a  practical  conformity  to 
that  standard.  The  judgment  shall  acknowledge 
the  divine  law,  as  embodied  in  the  life  of  Christ,  to 
be  the  rule  of  tiie  believer's  walk  ;  and  yet  to  so  low 
and  feeble  a  state  may  vital  godliness  have  declined 
in  the  soul,  there  shall  be  no  panting  after  conformity 
to  Christ,  no  breathing  after  holiness,  no  '  resistance 
unto  blood,  striving  against  sin.'  Oh,  it  is  an  alarm- 
ing condition  for  a  Christian  man,  when  the  heart 
contradicts  the  judgment,  and  the  life  belies  the  pro- 
fession ! — when  there  is  more  knowledge  of  the  truth 
than  experie?ice  of  its  power, — more  light  in  the 
understanding  than  grace  in  the  affections, — more 
pretension  in  the  profession  than  holiness  and  spiritu- 
ality in  the  walk  !  And  yet  to  this  sad  and  melan- 
choly state  it  is  possible  for  a  Christian  professor  to 
be  reduced.  How  should  it  lead  the  man  of  empty 
notions,  of  mere  creeds,  of  lofty  pretension,  of  cold 
and  lifeless  orthodoxy,  to  pause,  search  his  heart,  ex- 
amine his  conscience,  and  ascertain  the  true  state  of 
his  soul  before  God  ! 

Once  more :  This  state  of  secret  departure  from 
God  may  exist  in  connexion  with  an  outward  and 
rigid  observance  of  the  means  of  grace  ;  and  yet 
there  shall  be  no  spiritual  use  of,  or  enjoyment  in, 
the  means.     And  this,  it  may  be,  is  the  great  lullaby 


18  INCIPIENT    DECLENSION. 

of  his  soul.  Rocked  to  sleep  by  a  mere  formal  reli- 
gion, the  believer  is  beguiled  into  the  delusion  that 
his  heart  is  right,  and  his  soul  prosperous  in  the  sight 
of  God.  Even  more  than  this, — a  declining  believer 
may  have  sunk  so  deeply  into  a  state  of  formality, 
as  to  substitute  the  outward  and  the  pubhc  means  of 
grace  for  a  close  and  secret  walk  with  God.  He 
may  have  taken  up  his  aliode  in  the  outer  courts  of 
the  temple  ;  he  may  dwell  in  the  mere  porch  of  the 
sanctuary.  Frequent  or  even  occasional  retirement 
consecrated  to  meditation,  self-examination,  the  read- 
ing of  God's  word,  and  secret  prayer,  may  yield  to  an 
outward,  busthng  form  of  godliness.  Public  and 
committee  meetings  —  religious  societies  —  business 
and  professional  engagements — wearing  a  religious 
aspect,  and  even  important  in  their  subordinate 
places,  may  thrust  out  God  from  the  soul,  and  ex- 
clude Christ  from  ihe  heart.  And  that  a  believer 
should  be  satisfied  to  '  live  at  this  poor  dying  rate,' 
content  to  dwell  amid  the  din  and  the  bustle  of  the 
outw^orks,  is  one  of  the  most  palpable  and  alarming 
symptoms  of  the  decline  of  the  life  of  God  in  his 
soul.  But  let  us  group  some  of  the  more  positive 
marks  of  an  incipient  and  hidden  state  of  spiritual 
declension. 

When  a  professing  man  can  proceed  with  his  ac- 
customed religious  duties,  strictly,  regularly,  formally, 
and  yet  experience  no  enjoyment  of  God  in  them,  no 
filial  nearness,  no  brokenness  and  tenderness,  and  no 
consciousness  of  sweet  return,  he  may  suspect  that 
his  soul  is  in  a  state  of  secret  and  incipient  back- 
sliding from  God.     Satisfying  and  feeding  his  soul 


INCIPIENT    DECLENSION.  19 

— if  feeding  it  may  be  called — with  a  lifeless  form  ; 
what  stronger  symptom  needs  he  of  his  real  state? 
A  healthy,  growing  state  of  religion  in  the  soul  de- 
mands more  for  its  nourishment  and  support  than 
this.  A  believer  panting  for  God,  hungering  and 
thirsting  after  righteousness,  grace  thriving,  the 
heart  deeply  engaged  in  spiritual  duties,  lively, 
prayerful,  humble,  and  tender,  ascending  in  its 
frame  and  desires, — a  state  marked  by  these  fea- 
tures, cannot  be  tied  down  to  a  lifeless,  spiritless 
form  of  rehgious  duties.  These  were  but  husks  to 
a  healthy  state  of  the  life  of  God  in  the  soul.  It 
wants  more.  It  will  hunger  and  thirst,  and  this 
spiritual  longing  must  be  met.  And  nothing  can 
satisfy  and  satiate  it  but  living  upon  Christ,  the  bread 
and  the  water  of  life.  "  I  am  the  bread  of  life." 
"  If  any  man  thirst,  let  him  come  unto  me  and 
drink."  "  My  flesh  is  meat  indeed,  and  my  blood  is 
drink  indeed."  The  professing  man  that  goes  all  his 
days  without  this  nourishment,  thus  starving  his 
soul,  may  well  exclaim,  "  My  leanness,  my  lean- 
ness !"  Oh,  how  solemn  to  such  are  the  words  of 
our  Lord,  "  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you.  Except  ye 
eat  the  flesh  of  the  Son  of  man,  and  drink  his  blood, 
ye  have  no  life  in  you."     John  vi.  53. 

Again  :  When  a  professing  man  can  read  his  Bible 
with  no  spiritual  taste,  or  when  he  searches  it,  not 
with  a  sincere  desire  to  know  the  mind  of  the  Spirit 
in  order  to  a  holy  and  obedient  w^alk,  but  with  a 
merely  curious,  or  literary 'taste  and  aim,  it  is  a  sure 
evidence  that  his  soul  is  making  but  a  retrograde 
movement   in    real   spirituality.      Nothing  perhaps 


20  INCIPIENT    DECLENSION. 

more  strongly  indicates  the  tone  of  a  believer's 
spirituality,  than  the  light  in  which  the  Scriptures 
are  regarded  by  him.  They  may  be  read,  and  yet 
be  read  as  any  other  book,  without  the  deep  and 
solemn  conviction,  that  "  all  scripture  is  given  by  in- 
spiration of  God,  and  is  profitable  for  doctrine,  for  re- 
proof, for  correction,  for  instruction  in  righteousness ; 
that  the  man  of  God  may  be  perfect,  thoroughly  fur- 
nished unto  all  good  works."  2  Tim.  iii.  16,  17. 
They  may  be  read  without  a  spiritual  relish,  without 
being  turned  into  prayer,  without  treasuring  up  in 
the  heart  and  reducing  to  daily  practice  its  holy  pre- 
cepts, its  precious  promises,  its  sweet  consolations,  its 
faithful  warnings,  its  affectionate  admonitions,  its 
tender  rebukes.  And  thus  read,  how  can  a  believer 
expect  to  derive  that  'profit'  from  the  Scriptures 
which  they  were  intended,  and  are  so  calculated  to 
convey '/ 

When  a  professing  Christian  can  pray,  and  yet 
acknowledge  that  he  has  no  nearness  to  the  throne, 
no  touching  of  the  sceptre,  no  fellowship  with  God, — 
calls  him  "  Father,"  without  the  sense  of  adoption, — 
confesses  sin  in  a  general  way,  without  any  looking 
up  to  God  through  the  cross, — has  no  consciousness 
of  possessing  the  ear  and  the  heart  of  God,  the  evi- 
dence is  undoubted  of  a  declining  state  of  religion  in 
the  soul.  And  when  too,  he  can  find  no  sweetness 
in  a  spiritual  ministry, — when  he  is  restless  and 
dissatisfied  under  a  searching  and  practical  unfolding 
of  truth, — when  the  doctrines  are  preferred  to  the 
precepts,  the  promises  to  the   commands,  the  conso- 


INCIPIKNT    DECLENSION. 


21 


lations  to  the  admonitions  of  the  gospel,  incipient  de- 
clension is  marked. 

When  the  believer  has  hut  few  dealings  with 
Christy— \m  blood  but  seldom  travelled  to,— his  ful- 
ness but  little  lived  upon,— his  love  and  glory  scarcely 
mentioned,  the  symptom  of  declension  in  the  soul  is 
palpable.  Perhaps  nothing  forms  a  more  certain 
criterion  of  the  state  of  the  soul  than  this.  We 
would  be  wiUing  to  test  a  man's  religion,  both  as  to 
its  nature  and  its  growth,  by  his  reply  to  the  ques- 
tion, "  What  think  ye  of  Christ  ?"  Does  his  blood 
daily  moisten  the  root  of  thy  profession?  Is  his 
righteousness  that  which  exalts  thee  out  of  and  above 
thyself,  and  daily  gives  thee  free  and  near  access  to 
God  ?  Is  the  sweetness  of  his  love  much  in  thy 
heart,  and  the  fragrance  of  his  name  much  on  thy 
lips  ?  Are  thy  corruptions  daily  carried  to  his  grace, 
thy  guilt  to  his  blood,  thy  trials  to  his  heart?  In  a 
word,  is  Jesus  the  substance  of  thy  life,  the  source 
of  thy  sanctification,  the  spring-head  of  thy  joys,  the 
theme  of  thy  song,  the  one  glorious  object  on  which 
thine  eye  is  ever  resting,  the  mark  towards  which 
thou  art  ever  pressing  ?  Be  not  offended,  reader,  if 
we  remark,  that  a  professing  man  may  talk  well  of 
Christ,  and  may  do  homage  to  his  name,  and  build 
up  his  cause,  and  promote  his  kingdom,  and  yet  rest 
short  of  having  Christ  in  his  heart,  the  hope  of 
glory.  It  is  not  the  talking  about  religion,  or  min- 
isters, or  churches,  nor  an  outward  zeal  for  their 
prosperity,  that  either  constitutes  or  indicates  a  truly 
spiritual  man.  And  yet  how  much  of  this  in  our 
day  passes  current  for  the  Ufe  of  God  in  the  soul ! 


22 


INCIPIENT    DECLENSION. 


O  that  among  God's  dear  saints  there  were  less  talk- 
ing of  ministers^  and  more  of  Jesus  ;  less  of  sermons, 
and  more  of  the  power  of  the  truth  in  their  souls  ; 
less  of  « I  am  of  Paul,"  and  '•  I  of  Apollos,"  and 
more  of  "  I  am  of  Christ." 

All  uncharitable  ivalk  towards  other  Christians, 
marks  a  low  state  of  grace  in  the  soul.     The  more 
entirely  the  heart  is  occupied  with  the  love  of  Christ, 
there  will  be  less  room  for  uncharitableness  towards 
his  saints.     It  is  because  there  is  so  little  love  to  Je- 
sus, that  there  is  so  little  towards  his  followers.     In 
proportion  as  the  mind  becoines   spiritual,  it  rises 
above  party  distinctions  and  names,— it  resigns  its 
narrow  and  exclusive  views,  casts  away  its  preju- 
dices against  other  sections  of  the  one  church,   and 
embraces  in  the  yearnings  of  its  Christian  sympathy 
all  who  "  love  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  in  sincerity." 
In  advocating  a  wider  platform  of  Christian  love, 
we  would  by  no  means  "  sell  the  truth,"  or  com- 
promise principles,  or  immolate  conscience  upon  the 
altar  of  an  infidel  liberalism.     But  that  for  which 
we   plead,  is,  more  of  that  Christian  love,   tender- 
heartedness, kindness,  charity  which  allows  the  right 
of  private  judgment,  respects  a  conscientious  main- 
tenance of  truth,  and  concedes  to  others  the  same 
privilege  it  claims  for  itself.     Differing  as  many  of 
the  saints  of  God  necessarily  do  in  judgment,  does 
the  same   necessity  exist  wherefore  they  shall  be 
alienated  in  affection  ?    We  think,  far  from  it.    There 
is  common  ground  on  which  all  Christians  who  hold 
the  Head  can  stand.     There  are  truths  which  can 
assimilate  all  our  minds,  and  blend  all  our  hearts. 


INCIPIENT    DECLENSION.  23 

Why  then  should  we  stand  aloof  from  the  one  body 
and  exclaim,  "  The  temple  of  the  Lord,  the  temple 
of  the  Lord  are  we  7"  Why  should  we  refuse  to  re- 
cognise the  Father's  image  in  the  children's  face, 
and  treat  them  as  alie^is  in  person,  in  spirit,  and  in 
language,  because  they  see  not  eye  to  eye  with  us, 
in  all  our  interpretations  of  God's  word?  Why 
should  not  "  all  bitterness,  and  wrath,  and  anger,  and 
clamor,  and  evil  speaking,  be  put  away,  with  all 
malice  ?"  and  why  should  we  not  be  "  kind  one  to 
another,  tender-hearted,  forgiving  one  another,  even 
as  God  for  Christ's  sake  hath  forgiven  us,"  seeing 
that  the  church  is  but  one,  the  family  but  one,  that 
true  behevers  are  all  "  one  in  Christ  Jesus  ?"  This 
will  be  so  where  there  is  a  deepening  spirituahty. 
And  its  absence  marks  a  decay  of  grace,  a  wanmg 
of  the  life  of  God  in  the  soul. 

We  have  thus  endeavored  to  bring  to  view  some 
of  the  prominent  characteristics  of  a  state  of  incipi- 
ent declension  of  the  life  of  God  in  the  believer.  It 
will  be  seen  that  we  have  referred  to  those  only 
which  mark  the  hidden  departure  of  the  heart  from 
God ; — that  state  that  is  so  concealed,  so  veiled  from 
the  eye,  and  wearing  so  fair  an  exterior,  that  all  sus- 
picion of  its  existence  is  lulled  to  rest,  and  the  soul 
is  soothed  with  the  delusion  that  all  is  well  with  it. 
Dear  reader,  is  this  thy  state  ?  Has  this  book  thus 
far  detected  in  thee  any  secret  declension,  any  con- 
cealed departure,  any  heart  backsliding?  Has  it 
proved  to  thee — the  Spirit  of  God  speaking  by  it — 
that  thy  soul  is  in  an  unhealthy  state,  that  the  Di- 
vine life  within  thee  is  droophig?     Turn  not  from 


24  INCIPIENT    DECLENSION. 

the  discovery,  painful  though  it  be.  Look  at  it  fully, 
honestly.  It  is  no  step  towards  the  recovery  of  a 
sickly  state,  to  disguise  the  worst  symptoms  of  that 
state  from  the  eye.  The  mark  of  true  wisdom  and 
fc>kill  is,  to  ascertain  the  worst  of  the  disease,  to  probe 
the  depth  of  the  wound.  And  although  such  a 
course  may  be  painful  to  the  patient,  it  is  essential 
to  his  thorough  recovery.  Beloved  reader,  it  is  im- 
portant that  thou  shouldst  know  the  exact  state  of 
thy  soul  before  God.  And  if  thou  art  sincere  in  that 
petition  which  has  often  breathed  from  thy  lip, 
"  Search  me,  O  God,  and  know  my  heart ;  try  me, 
and  know  my  thoughts  ;  and  see  if  there  be  any 
wicked  way  in  me ;"  thou  wilt  thank  him  for  any 
gentle  and  faithful  admonition  that  sets  thee  upon 
the  great  work  of  self-examination.  "  It  is  fit,"  says 
Dr.  Owen,  "  that  professors  of  all  sorts  should  be  re- 
minded of  these  things ;  for  we  may  see  not  a  few 
of  them  under  visible  decays,  without  any  sincere 
endeavors  after  a  recovery,  who  yet  please  themselves 
that  the  root  of  the  matter  is  in  them.  It  is  so,  if 
love  of  the  world,  conformity  unto  it,  negligence  in 
holy  duties,  and  coldness  in  spiritual  love,  be  an  evi- 
dence of  such  decays.  But  let  none  deceive  their 
own  souls ;  wherever  there  is  a  saving  principle  of 
grace,  it  will  be  thriving  and  growing  unto  the  end. 
And  if  it  fall  under  obstructions,  and  thereby  into 
decays  for  a  season,  it  will  give  no  rest  or  quietness 
unto  the  soul  wherein  it  is,  but  it  will  labor  contin- 
ually for  a  recovery.  Peace  in  a  spiritually-decay- 
ing condition,  is  a  soul-ruining  security ;  better  be 
under  terror  on  the  account  of  surprisal  into  some 


INCIPIENT    DECLENSION.  25 

sin,  than  be  in  peace  under  evident  decays  of  spirit- 
ual life." 

Some  of  the  marked  characteristics  of  the  state 
of  heart  declension  which  we  have  been  consider- 
ing, are  so  strikingly  set  forth  in  the  case  of  the 
church,  as  described  by  the  Holy  Ghost  in  the  fifth 
chapter  of  the  Song  of  Solomon,  that  we  would  di- 
rect the  serious  attention  of  the  reader  to  it  in  con- 
nexion with  this  part  of  our  work. 

In  the  2nd  verse,  the  church  acknowledges  her 
drowsy^  yet  7iot  entirely  insensible,  condition  :  "  I 
sleep,  but  my  heart  waketh."  Here  was  the  exist- 
ence of  the  Divine  life  in  the  soul,  and  yet  that  life 
was  on  the  decline.  She  knew  that  she  had  fallen 
into  a  careless  and  slumbering  state,  that  the  work 
of  grace  in  her  soul  was  decaying,  that  the  spirit  of 
slumber  had  come  over  her  ;  but  the  awful  feature 
was,  she  was  content  to  he  so.  She  heard  her  Be- 
loved knock  ;  but  so  enamored  was  she  with  her 
state  of  drowsiness,  she  gave  no  heed  to  it— she 
opened  not  to  him.  "  I  sleep,  but  my  heart  waketh  : 
it  is  the  voice  of  my  Beloved  that  knocketh,  saying, 
Open  to  me,  my  sister,  my  love,  my  dove,  my  unde- 
filed  ;  for  my  head  is  filled  with  dew,  and  my  locks 
with  the  drops  of  the  night."  Thus  addressed,  her 
duty  would  have  been  instantly  to  have  aroused  her- 
self from  her  sleep,  and  admitted  her  Lord.  A  be- 
liever may  fall  into  a  drowsy  state  of  soul,  not  so 
profound  as  to  be  entirely  lost  to  the  voice  of  his 
Beloved  speaking  by  conscience,  by  the  word,  and 
by  providences :  and  yet  so  far  may  his  grace  have 
decayed,  so  cold  may  his  love  have  grown,  and  so 
3 


26  INCIPIENT    DECLENSION. 

hardening  may  have  been  his  declension,  he  shall 
be  content  that  this  should  be  his  slate.  O,  alarm- 
ing symptom  of  soul  declension,  when  the  indul- 
gence of  sloth  and  self  is  preferred  to  a  visit  from 
Jesus  ! 

Then  observe  that,  wheji  she  did  arise,  Christ 
had  withdrawn  himself.  "  I  opened  to  ray  Beloved, 
but  my  Beloved  had  withdrawn  himself,  and  was 
gone  :  my  soul  failed  when  he  spake  ;  I  sought  him, 
but  I  could  not  find  him  ;  I  called  him,  but  he  gave 
me  no  answer."  ver.  6.  Weary  with  waiting  so 
long,  grieved  at  the  discovery  he  made  of  her  deep 
declension,  and  wounded  by  her  cold  repulse,  he 
withdrew  his  sensible,  loving  presence,  and  left  her 
to  the  consequences  of  her  sad  departure.  The  Lord 
never  withdraws  himself  from  his  people  willingly  : 
he  is  never  actuated  by  an  arbitrary  impulse  of  his 
will.  Such  is  his  delight  in  his  people,  such  his  love 
towards  them,  and  such  the  joy  he  derives  from 
their  fellowship,  that  he  would  walk  with  them  all 
the  day  long,  and  sun  them  with  the  unclouded 
hght  of  his  countenance.  But  when  he  hides  him- 
self for  a  little  moment,  he  is  driven  from  their  em- 
brace by  their  lukewarmness  of  heart,  and  unkind 
resistance  of  his  love.  Possessing  a  tender  heart 
himself,  the  slightest  indifference  discoverable  in  his 
child  wounds  it :  an  ocean  of  love  himself,  the  least 
lukewarmness  in  the  love  of  his  people  causes  him 
to  withdraw.  And  yet  this  momentary  withdraw- 
ment  is  not  a  judicial,  but  a  fatherly,  loving  correc- 
tion, to  bring  them  to  a  knowledge  and  confession 
of  their  state :  "  I  will  go  and  return  to  my  place 


INCIPIENT    DECLENSION.  27 

till  they  acknowledge  their  offence,  and  seek  my 
face  j  in  their  affliction  they  will  seek  me  early." 
Hos.  V.  15. 

It  is  worthy  of  remark,  that  she  receded  into  this 
state  of  declension  immediately  after  a  peculiar 
manifestation  of  Chrisfs  love  to  her  soul.     We 
find    her  thus  inviting  her   Beloved :    "  Awake,  O 
north  wind,  and  come,  thou  south  ;  blow  upon  my 
garden,  that  the  spices  may  flow  out.     Let  my  Be- 
loved come  into  his  garden,  and  eat  his  pleasant 
fruits."     He  graciously  accepts  the  invitation  :     "  I 
am  come  mto  my  garden,  my  sister,  my  spouse.     I 
have  gathered  my  myrrh  with  my  spice ;  I  have 
eaten  my  honeycomb  with  my  honey  ;  I  have  drunk 
my  wine  with  my  milk.     Eat,  O  friends ;    drink, 
yea,  drink  abundantly,  O  beloved."     Thus  was  her 
declension  preceded  by  near  and   peculiar  commun- 
ion with  her  Lord.     And  how  many  of  the  Lord's 
people  can  testify  to  the  same  solemn  truth,  that 
some  of  their  saddest  departures  have  immediately 
followed  seasons  of  the  most  endeared  and  holy  fel- 
lowship wath  their  God  and  Father  !    It  is  after  such 
periods  that  the  believer  is  most  exposed  to  a  spirit 
of  self-complacency.     Without  great  vigilance  over 
the  heart,  self  takes  the  glory  and  the  praise  of  the 
gracious  visit  of  love  Jesus  has  made  to  the  soul, 
and  looks  within  for  some  secret  cause  of  the  mercy. 
When  the  Lord  imparts  a  blessing,  we  need  especial 
grace  to  keep  us  from  falling  through  that  very 
blessing.     The  case  of  the  disciples  affords  a  mem- 
orable illustration  of  this  thought.     The  occasion  on 
which  the  circumstance  transpired  to  which  we  are 


28  INCIPIENT    DECLENSION. 

about  to  refer,  was  a  most  solemn  and  affecting 
one :  it  was  the  scene  that  immediately  preceded 
the  crucifixion  of  Jesus.  Luke  thus  records  it: 
"  And  he  took  bread,  and  gave  thanks,  and  brake  it, 
and  gave  unto  them,  saying.  This  is  my  body 
which  is  given  for  you :  this  do  in  remembrance  of 
me.  Likewise  also  the  cup  after  supper,  saying, 
This  cup  is  the  new  testament  in  my  blood,  which 
is  shed  for  you."  xxii.  19,  20.  What  moriient 
could  have  been  more  holy  than  this?  what  oc- 
casion more  solemn  and  sacred?  Here  were  the 
disciples  holding  fellowship  with  their  adorable  Im- 
manuel  in  the  awful  myslery  of  his  sufferings  ! 
But  immediately  after  the  close  of  this  hallowed 
service,  what  do  we  read  ? — "  There  was  also  a 
strife  among  them,  which  should  be  accounted  the 
greatest."  verse  24.  Here  were  the  worst  exhibitions 
of  fallen  nature, — passion,  hatred,  envy,  rankling  in 
the  heart,  at  a  moment  when  the  elements  of  their 
Saviour's  dying  love  were  yet  upon  their  lips  !  Oh  ! 
what  does  this  instructive  lesson  teach  us ! — trust 
not  in  frames  and  feehngs,  pray  without  ceasing, 
and  particularly  "  watch  unto  prayer"  immediately 
after  seasons  of  peculiar  nearness  to  God,  or  especial 
mercies  received  at  his  hands.  "  Special  spiritual 
enjoyments,"  wisely  remarks  Traill,  "  are  dangerous, 
and  render  a  man  very  needy  of  the  helping  grace 
of  God.  They  expose  to  special  temptations,  are 
apt  to  give  rise  to  special  corruptions,  such  as  spirit- 
ual pride,  contentedness  with  a  present  good  con- 
dition, dullness  of  desire  after  a  better  state.  If  the 
Lord   grant    singular   communications  of   himself, 


INCIPIENT    DECLENSION.  29 

know  that  it  is  a  season  of  special  need  of  grace  to 
guide  them  well.  They  would  return  more  fre- 
quently, and  would  spring  higher  and  last  longer 
if  they  were  better  improved.  The  greater  the 
blessing  be,  the  greater  the  sin  of  its  abuse ;  the 
greater  the  blessing  be,  the  greater  is  the  difficulty 
of  guiding  it  well ;  and  the  more  difficult  the  work, 
the  greater  our  need  of  the  grace  of  God ;  and  the 
more  frequent  and  fervent  should  our  supplications 
be  to  the  throne  of  grace  for  that  needful,  helpful 
grace." 

Yet  once  more  :  Mark  the  hardening  tendency  of 
repeated  declension  in  her  case.  In  chap.  iii.  1,  she 
manifests  some  desire  for  Christ,  though  her  posture 
indicated  a  slothful  spirit :  "  By  night  on  my  bed  I 
sought  him  whom  my  soul  loveth."  Immediately 
after,  Christ  knocks,  but  she  had  sunk  so  deep  in 
slumber  that  she  arose  not  to  admit  him.  Trace 
the  steps,  and  mark  the  deadening  nature  of  soul 
declension.  She  first  places  herself  in  the  posture 
of  sloth,  and  soon  is  heard  to  say,  "  I  sleep."  Why 
is  it  that  so  many  who  appear  to  be  seeking  Christ, 
rest  short  of  him  ?  It  is  not  difficult  in  most  cases 
to  ascertain  the  true  cause.  It  is  this — they  seek 
him  in  a  slumbering  posture — on  their  beds.  Their 
desires  are  so  languid,  their  frame  of  spirit  so  dead, 
their  hearts  so  cold,  that  their  very  manner  of  seek- 
ing him  seems  to  give  an  air  of  insincerity  to  their 
desires,  and  would  seem  to  plead  for  a  denial  of 
their  requests.  Ponder  again  her  confession : — Oh, 
is  it  not  the  confession  of  many  ? — "  By  night  on 
my  bed    I   sought    him  whom  my  soul  loveth :    J 


30  INCIPIENT    DECLENSION. 

sought  him  hut  I  found  him  not."  And  the 
reason  why  she  found  him  not,  was,  her  slothful 
posture,  and  her  drowsy  spuit  in  seekmg  him ! 
Guard  against  a  slothful  seeking  of  Jesus.  With 
such  a  frame,  disappointment  will  inevitably  ensue. 
But  seek  him  with  all  your  heart,  with  all  your 
desire,  with  the  whole  bent  of  your  soul.  Seek 
him  as  thy  chief,  thine  only  good.  Seek  him  as 
that  which  can  supply  the  absence  of  all  other 
good,  without  whom  nothing  is  good.  Seek  him  as 
that  blessing  that  can  turn  every  bitter  cup  into 
s^veetness,  every  dark  cloud  into  brightness,  every 
cross  into  a  mercy ;  that  can  bring  bread  out  of  the 
eater,  and  honey  out  of  the  rock.  Oh  what  a  por- 
tion has  that  soul  that  has  Jesus  for  its  portion  ! 
"  The  Lord  is  my  portion,  saith  my  soul,  therefore 
will  I  hope  in  him."  But  he  must  be  sought  with 
all  the  vigor  of  the  soul,  with  all  the  intensity  of 
desire,  and  with  all  perseverance  of  purpose,  if  he 
would  be  found.  And  well  is  he  worth  this  labor 
of  search.  He  is  that  pearl  that  will  repay  a  dihgent 
seeking.  He  will  plentifully  reward  every  sincere, 
humble  comer.  Not  a  want  but  he  will  supply,  not 
a  wound  but  he  will  heal,  not  a  sorrow  but  he  will 
soothe,  not  a  sin  but  he  will  pardon,  not  a  corrup- 
tion but  he  will  subdue.  But  seek  him  with  full 
purpose  of  soul,  and  he  shall  be  found.  "  When  thou 
saidst.  Seek  ye  my  face,  my  heart  said  unto  thee.  Thy 
face,  Lord,  will  1  seek."  Ps.  xxvii.  8.  "  The  soul  of 
the  sluggard  desireth,  and  hath  nothing;  but  the 
soul  of  the  diligent  shall  be  made  fat."  Prov.  xiii.  4. 
There  is  yet  one  more  remarkable  feature  in  the 


INCIPIENT    DECLENSION.  31 

State  of  the  church  we  have  been  considering,  too 
instructive  to  pass  by  unnoticed  ;— we  aUude  to  the 
persuasion  she  felt,  that  though  the  Divine  hfe  in 
her  soul  was  at  a  low  ebb,  still  Christ  was  hers, 
and  she  icas  Chrisfs.  "  I  sleep,  but  my  heart 
waketh :  it  is  the  voice  of  my  Beloved  that 
kiiocketh."  In  the  worst  frame  tiiat  can  affect  a 
true  child  of  God,  there  is  always  some  indication 
that  the  Divine  life  in  the  soul  is  not  quite  ex- 
tinguished. In  its  greatest  decay,  there  is  yet  some 
symptom  of  life.  In  the  darkest  hour,  there  is  that 
in  the  nature  of  true  grace,  which  emits  some  scin- 
tillation of  its  essential  glory ;  in  its  greatest  defeat, 
that  which  asserts  its  divinity.  Just  as  a  king, 
though  deposed  from  his  throne  and  driven  into 
exile,  can  never  entirely  divest  himself  of  the  dignity 
of  his  regal  character  ;  so  real  grace,  though  often 
severely  tried,  sharply  assailed,  and  sometimes 
momentarily  defeated,  can  never  sink  its  character, 
nor  relinquish  its  sovereignty.  Mark  the  proof  of 
this  in  the  case  of  the  apostle  Paul :  "  Now  then 
it  is  no  more  I  that  do  it  but  sin  that  dwelleth  in 
me.  For  the  good  that  I  would,  I  do  not :  but  the 
evil  which  I  would  not,  that  I  do.  Now  if  I  do  that 
I  would  not,  it  is  no  more  I  that  do  it,  but  sin  that 
dwelleth  in  me."  Rom.  vii.  17,  19,  20.  And  so  the 
church  expresses  it,  "  I  sleep,  hit  my  heart  waketh." 
In  her  most  drowsy,  slothful  state,  she  could  not 
forget  that  she  was  still  her  Beloved's,  and  that  her 
Beloved  was  hers.  Glorious  nature,  and  blessed 
triumph  of  the  life  of  God  in  the  soul  of  man ! 
We  now  come  to  the  consideration  of  the  revival 


32  INCIPIENT    DECLENSION. 

of  this  Divine  life  in  the  soul  of  the  believer.  From 
what  has  been  already  advanced,  it  will  be  perceived 
that  we  are  far  from  considering  this  a  hopeless  state. 
For  a  decUning  believer  to  settle  down  under  the 
conviction  that  such  a  state  is  ir'recoverable  ;  that 
because  he  has  taken  the  first  step  in  departure  from 
God,  he  must  necessarily  take  the  second,  is  to  afford 
the  most  alarming  evidence  of  a  state  of  soul  de- 
clension. But  so  far  from  this,  we  state  it  distinctly 
and  emphatically,  that  whatever  be  the  departure  of 
a  backsliding  child  of  God,  it  is  recoverable  :  not  a 
step  has  he  lost  but  may  be  retraced  ;  not  a  grace 
has  decayed  but  may  be  restored  ;  not  a  joy  has  fled 
but  may  be  won  back.  Alas  for  us,  when  the  day 
comes  that  shall  close  up  every  avenue  to  the  return 
of  a  backsliding  soul !  that  tells  us  that  the  Father 
no  longer  welcomes  home  the  prodigal ;  that  the 
blood  of  Jesus  no  longer  heals  a  wounded  spirit ; 
that  the  Holy  Ghost  no  longer  restores  the  lost  joys 
of  God's  salvation  !  But  we  desire  now  to  show, 
that  for  every  poor,  self-condemned,  heart-broken,  re- 
turning soul,  there  is  a  hngering  affection  in  the 
heart  of  the  Father,  a  welcome  in  the  blood  of  Jesus, 
and  a  restorative  power  in  the  operation  of  the  Spirit, 
and  therefore  every  encouragement  to  arise  and 
come  to  God. 

The  first  direction  which  we  would  give  in  the 
way  of  recovery  is,  acquaint  yourself  tlioroughly 
with  the  real  state  of  your  soul  as  before  God.  As 
the  first  step  in  conversion  was  to  know  yourself  to 
be  a  lost,  helpless,  condemned  sinner ;  so  now,  in 
your  re-conversion  to  God,  you  must  know  the  exact 


INCirJENT    DKCI.ENSloN.  33 

state  of  your  soul.  Be  honest  with  yourself;  let 
there  be  a  thorough,  faithful  examination  of  your 
spiritual  condition  ;  let  all  disguise  be  removed,  the 
eye  withdrawn  from  the  opinion  of  men,  and  the 
soul  shut  in  with  God  in  a  close  scrutiny  of  its  worst 
state.  Your  minister,  your  church,  your  friend,  may 
know  nothing  of  the  secret  state  of  your  soul ;  they 
may  not  even  suspect  any  hidden  decline  of  grace, 
any  incipient  backsliding  of  heart  from  God.  To 
their  partial  eye,  the  surface  may  be  fair  to  look 
upon  ;  to  them  your  spiritual  state  may  present  the 
aspect  of  prosperity  and  fruitfulness ;  but  the  solemn 
question  is  between  God  and  your  own  soul.  You 
have  to  do  with  a  God  that  judgeth  not  as  man 
judgeth — by  the  outward  appearance  onl}' — but  who 
judgeth  the  heart.  "  I,  the  Lord,  search  the  heart," 
The  "backslider  in  heart"  may  deceive  himself,  he 
may  deceive  others,  but  God  he  cannot  deceive. 
Seek  then  to  know  the  real  condition  of  your  soul. 
Search  and  see  what  graces  of  the  Spirit  have  de- 
clined, what  fruits  of  the  Spirit  have  decayed.  My 
reader,  this  is  a  solemn  and  a  great  work  we  have 
set  you  upon,  but  it  is  necessary  to  your  recovery. 
We  would  bring  you  into  the  court  of  your  own 
bosom,  to  examine  fairly  and  strictly  the  spiritual 
state  of  your  soul.  It  is  a  solemn  process  !  The 
witnesses  summoned  to  testify  are  manj^ ; — con- 
science is  a  witness, — how  often  it  has  been  silenced  ; 
the  word  is  a  witness,- -how  sadly  it  has  been  neg- 
lected ;  the  throne  of  grace  is  a  witness, — how  fre- 
quently it  has  been  slighted  ;  Christ  is  a  witness, — 
how   much  he  has   been   undervalued  ;    the   Holy 


34  INCIPIENT    DECLENSION. 

Spirit  is  a  witness, — how  deeply  he  has  been  grieved ; 
God  is  a  witness, — how  greatly  he  has  been  robbed. 
All  these  testify  against  the  soul  of  a  backslider  in 
heart,  and  yet  all  plead  for  its  return  ! 

The  second  step  is,  to  discover  and  bring  to  light 
the  cause  of  the  souPs  declension.  "  Is  there  not  a 
cause  ?"  Search  and  see  what  has  fallen  as  a  blight 
upon  thy  soul,  what  is  feeding  at  the  root  of  thy 
Christianity.  The  apostle  Paul,  skilful  to  detect, 
and  faithful  to  reprove,  any  declension  in  the  faith 
or  laxity  in  the  practice  of  the  early  churches,  dis- 
covered in  that  of  Galatia  a  departure  from  the  purity 
of  the  truth,  and  a  consequent  carelessness  in  their 
walk.  Grieved  at  the  discovery,  he  addresses  to 
them  an  affectionate  and  faithful  epistle,  expressive 
of  his  astonishment  and  pain,  and  proposing  a 
solemn  and  searching  inquiry.  "  I  marvel,"  he 
writes,  "  that  ye  are  so  soon  removed  from  him  that 
called  you  into  the  grace  of  Christ.  How,  after  that 
ye  have  known  God,  or  rather  are  known  of  God, 
how  turn  ye  again  to  the  weak  and  beggarly  ele- 
ments ?  I  am  afraid  of  you,  lest  I  have  bestowed 
upon  you  labor  in  vain.  Where  is  the  blessedness 
ye  spake  of?  I  stand  in  doubt  of  you.  Ye  did  run 
well ;  who  did  hinder  you  ?  This  persuasion  conieth 
not  of  him  that  calleth  you."  To  the  reader,  con- 
scious as  he  hangs  over  this  page,  of  secret  declen- 
sion in  his  soul,  we  propose  tlie  same  searching  and 
tender  inquiry.  Ye  did  run  well  ;  who  did  hinder 
you?  —  what  stumbling-block  has  fallen  in  your 
way  ? — what  has  impeded  your  onward  course  ? — 
what  has  enfeebled  your  faith,   chilled  your   love. 


INCIPIENT    DECLENSION.  35 

drawn  your  heart  from  Jesus,  and  lured  you  back  to 
the  weak  and  beggarly  elements  of  a  poor  world  1 
You  set  out  fair  ;  for  a  time  you  ran  well ;  your 
zeal,  and  love,  and  humility,  gave  promise  of  a  use- 
ful life,  of  a  glorious  race,  and  of  a  successful  com- 
petition for  the  prize  ;  but  something  has  hindered. 
What  is  it?  Is  it  the  world,  creature  love,  covetous- 
ness,  ambition,  presumptuous  sin,  unmortified  corrup- 
tion, the  old  leaven  unpurged  ?  /Search  it  out. 
Rest  not  until  it  be  discovered.  Your  declension  is 
secret,  perhaps  the  cause  is  secret,  some  spiritual 
duty  secretly  neglected,  or  some  known  sin  secretly 
indulged.  Search  it  out,  and  bring  it  to  light.  It 
must  be  a  cause  adequate  to  tlie  production  of  effects 
so  serious.  You  are  not  as  you  once  were.  Your 
soul  has  lost  ground  ;  the  Divine  life  has  declined  ; 
the  fruit  of  the  Spirit  has  withered  ;  the  heart  has 
lost  its  softness,  the  conscience  its  tenderness,  the 
mind  its  lowliness,  the  throne  of  grace  its  sweetness, 
the  cross  of  Jesus  its  attraction.  Oh,  how  sad  and 
melancholy  the  change  that  has  passed  over  you ! 
And  have  )'ou  not  the  consciousness  of  it  in  your 
soul  ?  Where  is  the  blessedness  ye  spake  of?  where 
is  the  sunlight  countenance  of  a  reconciled  Father  1 
where  are  the  rich  moments  spent  before  the  cross  ? 
the  hallowed  seasons  of  communion  in  the  closet, 
shut  in  with  God  ?  where  is  the  voice  of  the  turtle- 
dove, the  singing  of  birds,  the  green  pastures  where 
thou  didst  feed,  the  still  waters  on  whose  banks  thou 
didst  repose?  Is  it  all  gone  ?  Is  it  winter  with  thy 
soul  ?     Ah  !  yes  ;  thy  soul  is  made  to  feel  that  it  is 


36  INCIPIENT    DECLENSION. 

an  evil  and  a  bitter  thing  to  depart  from  the  living 
God.     But  yet  there  is  hope. 

The  next  step  in  the  work  of  personal  revival,  is, 
to  take  the  cause  of  the  soul's  declensioti  immediately 
to  the  throne  of  grace,  and  lay  it  before  the  Lord. 
There  must  be  no  parleying  with  it,  no  compromise, 
no  concealment :  there  must  be  a  full  and  unreserved 
disclosure  before  God,  without  aught  of  palliation  or 
disguise.  Let  your  sin  be  confessed  in  all  its  guilt, 
aggravation,  and  consequences.  This  is  just  what 
God  loves — an  open,  ingenuous  confession  of  sin. 
Searching  and  knowing,  though  he  does,  all  hearts, 
he  yet  delights  in  the  honest  and  minute  acknowledg- 
ment of  sin  from  his  backsliding-  child.  Lang-uaare 
cannot  be  too  humiliating,  the  detail  cannot  be  too 
minute.  Mark  the  stress  he  has  laid  upon  this  duty, 
and  the  blessing  he  has  annexed  to  it.  Thus  he 
spake  to  the  children  of  Israel,  that  wandering,  back- 
sliding, rebellious  people :  "  If  they  shall  confess 
their  iniquity,  and  the  iniquity  of  their  fathers,  with 
their  trespass  which  they  trespassed  against  me,  and 
that  also  they  have  walked  contrary  unto  me  ;  and 
that  I  also  have  walked  contrary  unto  them,  and 
have  brought  them  into  the  land  of  their  enemies ; 
if  then  their  uncircumcised  hearts  be  humbled,  and 
they  then  accept  of  the  punishment  of  their  iniquity : 
then  will  I  remember  my  covenant  with  Jacob,  and 
also  my  covenant  with  Isaac,  and  also  my  covenant 
with  Abraham  will  I  remember ;  and  I  will  remem- 
ber the  land."  Levit.  xxvi.  40 — 42.  Truly  may 
we  exclaim,  "  Who  is  a  God  like  unto  thee,  that  par- 
doneth  iniquity,  and  passeth  by  the  transgression  of 


INCIPIENT    DECLENSION.  37 

the  remnant  of  his  heritage  !  lie  retaineth  not  his 
anger  for  ever,  because  he  dehghteth  in  mercy." 
Tliis,  too,  was  tlie  blessed  experience  of  David,  God's 
dear  yet  often  backsliding  child :  "  I  acknowledge 
my  sin  unto  thee,  and  mine  iniquity  have  I  not  hid. 
I  said  I  will  co7ifess  my  transgressions  unto  the  Lord 
and  \ho\\  forgavest  the  iniquity  of  my  sin."  Psalm 
xxxii.  5.  And  how  did  the  heart  of  God  melt  with 
pity  and  compassion  when  he  heard  the  audible  re- 
lentings  of  his  Ephraim  !  "  I  have  surely  heard  Eph- 
raim  bemoaning  himself  thus :  Thou  hast  chastised 
me,  and  I  was  chastised  as  a  bullock  unaccustomed  to 
the  yoke :  turn  thou  me  and  I  shall  be  turned :  for  thou 
art  the  Lord  my  God."  And  what  was  the  answer 
of  God  ?  "  Is  Ephraim  my  dear  son  ?  is  he  a  pleasant 
child  ?  for  since  I  spake  against  him,  I  do  earnestly 
remember  him  still ;  therefore  my  bowels  are  troubled 
for  him  :  I  will  surely  have  mercy  upon  him,  saith  the 
Lord."  Jer  xxxi.  18,  20.  Nor  is  the  promise  of  pardon 
annexed  to  confession  of  sin,  unfolded  with  less 
clearness  and  consolatoriness  in  the  New  Testament 
writings.  "  If  we  confess  our  sins,  he  is  faithful 
and  just  to  forgive  us  our  sins,  and  to  cleanse  us 
from  all  unrighteousness."  1  John  i.  9.  How  full, 
then,  the  blessing,  how  rich  the  consolation  con- 
nected with  an  honest,  heart-broken  confession  of 
sin  !  How  easy  and  how  simple,  too,  this  method 
of  return  to  God  !  "  Only  acknowledge  thine 
iniquity."  Jer.  iii.  13.  It  is  but  a  confession  of  sin 
over  the  head  of  Jesus,  the  great  sacrifice  for  sin. 
O,  what  is  this  that  God  says  ?  "  Only  acknow- 
ledge thine  iniquity  ! "  Is  this  all  he  requires  of  his 
4 


38  INCIPIENT    DECLENSION. 

poor  wandering  child?  This  is  all  !  "  Then,"  may 
the  poor  soul  exclaim,  "  Lord,  I  come  to  thee.  I 
am  a  backslider,  a  wanderer,  a  prodigal.  I  have 
strayed  from  thee  like  a  lost  sheep.  My  love  has 
waxed  cold,  my  steps  have  slackened  in  the  path  of 
holy  obedience  ;  my  mind  has  yielded  to  corrupting, 
deadening  influence  of  the  world,  and  my  affections 
have  wandered  in  quest  of  other  and  earthly  objects 
of  delight.  But  behold  I  come  unto  thee.  Dost 
thou  invite  me  ?  Dost  thou  stretch  out  thy  hand  ? 
Dost  thou  bid  me  approach  thee  1  Dost  thou  say, 
'  Only  acknowledge  thine  iniquity  ? '  Then  Lord, 
I  come ;  in  the  name  of  thy  dear  Son,  I  come ; 
'  restore  unto  me  the  joy  of  thy  salvation.' "  Thus 
confessing  sin  over  the  head  of  Jesus,  until  the 
heart  has  nothing  more  to  confess  but  the  sin  of  its 
confession, — for.  beloved  reader,  our  very  confession 
of  sin  needs  to  be  confessed  over,  our  very  tears 
need  to  be  wept  over,  and  our  very  prayers  need  to 
be  prayed  over,  so  defaced  with  sin  is  all  that  we 
do ; — the  soul,  thus  emptied  and  unburthened,  is 
prepared  to  receive  anew  the  seal  of  a  Father's  for- 
giving love. 

The  true  posture  of  a  returning  soul  is  beautifully 
presented  to  view  in  the  prophecy  of  Hosea,  xiv.  1, 
2 ;  "  O  Israel,  return  unto  the  Lord  thy  God  ;  for 
thou  hast  fallen  by  thine  iniquity.  Take  with  you 
words,  and  turn  to  the  Lord :  say  unto  him.  Take 
away  all  iniquity,  and  receive  us  graciously  :  so  will 
we  render  thee  the  calves  [sacrifices]  of  our  hps." 
Here  are  conviction,  godly  sorrow,  humiliation,  and 
confession,  the  essential  elements  of  a  true  return  to 


INCIPIENT    DECLENSION.  39 

God.  Conviction  of  the  true  state  of  the  dechning 
soul ;  godly  sorrow  resulting  from  the  discovery  ; 
humiliation,  deep  and  sincere,  on  account  of  it ;  and 
a  full  and  unreserved  confession  of  it  before  God.  O 
blessed  evidences  !  O  lovely  posture  of  a  restored 
soul ! 

Essentially  connected  with  the  discovery  and  the 
confession,  there  must  be  the  entire  mortification 
and  abandonment  of  the  cause  of  the  soul's  secret 
declension.  Apart  from  this,  there  can  be  no  true  re- 
vival of  the  work  of  Divine  grace  in  the  heart.  The 
true  spiritual  mortification  of  indwelling  sin,  and  the 
entire  forsaking  of  the  known  cause,  whatever  it  is 
found  to  be,  of  the  heart's  declension,  constitute  the 
true  elements  of  a  believers  restoration  to  the  joys 
of  God's  salvation.  And  when  we  speak  of  the 
mortification  of  sin,  let  not  the  nature  of  this  sacred 
work  be  misunderstood.  It  has  been  in  the  case  of 
many,  why  may  it  not  in  yours?  There  may  exist 
all  the  surface-marks  of  mortification,  and  still  the 
heart  remain  a  stranger  to  the  work.  An  awakening 
sermon,  an  alarming  providence,  or  a  startling  truth, 
may  for  a  moment  arrest  and  agitate  the  backshding 
soul.  There  may  be  an  opening  of  the  eyelid,  a  con- 
vulsive movement  of  the  spiritual  frame,  which,  to  a 
superficial  observer,  may  wear  the  appearance  of  a 
real  return  to  consciousness,  of  a  true  waking  up  to 
new  life  and  vigor  the  slumbering  soul,  and  yet  these 
may  be  but  the  transient  and  fitful  impulses  of  a  sickly 
and  a  drowsy  spirit.  The  means  of  grace,  too,  may 
be  returned  to, — the  secret  declension  felt,  deplored, 
and  acknowledged,  but  the  hidden  cause  remaining 


40  INCIPIENT    DECLENSION. 

unmoitified  and  nnremoved,  all  appearance  of  recov- 
ery quickly  and  painfully  subsides.  It  was  but  a 
transient,  momentary  shock,  and  all  was  still ;  the 
heavy  eyelid  but  feebly  opened,  and  closed  again  ; 
the  '  goodness'  that  promised  so  fair,  was  but  as  the 
morning  cloud  and  the  early  dew.  And  the  reason 
is  found  in  the  fact,  that  there  was  no  true  mortifi- 
cation of  sin.  And  so  I  may  repair  to  a  plant  with- 
ering and  drooping  in  my  garden  ;  I  may  employ 
every  external  means  for  its  revival ;  I  may  loosen 
the  earth  about  it,  water,  and  place  it  in  the  warm 
sunbeam  :  but  if  while  I  had  not  discovered  and  re- 
moved the  hidden  cause  of  its  decay, — if  I  had  not 
known  that  a  worm  was  secretly  feeding  at  the  root, 
and  in  ignorance  of  this,  had  proceeded  with  my 
surface-work  of  restoration,  what  marvel,  though  the 
morning  sunbeam,  and  the  evening  dew,  and  the 
loosened  earth,  had  produced  a  momentary  freshness 
and  life,  that  yet  my  plant  had  ceased  to  exist,  had 
withered  and  died?  Thus  may  it  be  with  a  declin- 
ing believer,  i  The  external  means  of  revival  may 
be  sedulously  employed,  means  of  grace  diligently 
used  and  even  multiplied,  but  all  to  no  real  and  per- 
manent effect,  while  a  worm  secretly  feeds  at  the 
root;  and  until  the  hidden  cause  of  decay  be  morti- 
fied, removed,  and  utterly  extirpated,  the  surface  re- 
vival does  but  end  in  a  profounder  sleep,  and  a  more 
fearful  deception  of  the  soul.  Again,  and  yet  again 
would  we  repeat  it, — there  cannot  possibly  be  auy 
true,  spiritual,  and  abiding  revival  of  grace  in  a  be- 
liever, while  secret  sin  remains  undiscovered  and 
un mortified  in  the  heart.     True  and  spiritual  morti- 


INCiriENT    DECl-ENSION.  41 

fication  of  sin  is  not  a  surface-work :  it  consists  not 
merely  in  pruning  the  dead  tendrils  that  hang  here 
and  there  upon  the  branch  ;  it  is  not  the  lopping  olF 
of  outward  sins,  and  an  external  observance  of  spir- 
itual duties  ;  it  includes  essentially  far  more  than 
this  :  it  is  a  laying  the  axe  at  the  root  of  sin  in  the 
believer  ;  it  aims  at  nothing  less  than  the  complete 
subjection  of  the  prijiciple  of  sin  ;  and  until  this  is 
effectually  done,  there  can  be  no  true  return  of  the 
heart  to  God.  Christian  reader,  what  is  the  cause 
of  thy  soul's  secret  declension  ?  What  is  it  that  at 
this  moment  feeds  upon  the  precious  plant  of  grace, 
destroying  its  vigor,  its  beauty,  and  its  fruitfulness  ? 
Is  it  an  inordinate  attachment  to  the  creature  ?  mor- 
tify  it  ; — the  love  of  self?  mortify  it  ; — the  love  of 
the  world  ?  mortify  it ; — some  sinful  habit  secretly 
indulged?  mortify  it.  It  must  be  mortified,  root  as 
well  as  branch,  if  you  would  experience  a  thorough 
return  to  God.  Dear  though  it  be,  as  a  right  hand, 
or  as  a  right  eye,  if  yet  it  comes  between  thy  soul 
and  God,  if  it  crucifies  Christ  in  thee,  if  it  weakens 
faith,  enfeebles  grace,  destroys  the  spirifjahty  of  the 
soul,  rendering  it  barren  and  unfruitful,  rest  not  short 
of  its  utter  mortification. 

Nor  must  this  great  work  be  undertaken  in  your 
own  strength.  It  is  pre-eminently  the  result  of  God 
the  Holy  Ghost  working  in,  and  blessing  the  self- 
efforts  of,  the  believer :  "  If  ye  through  the  Spirit  do 
mortify  the  deeds  of  the  body,  ye  shall  live."  Rom. 
viii.  13.  Here  is  a  recognition  of  the  believer's  own 
exertions,  in  connexion  with  the  power  of  the  Holy 
Ghost  :  "  If  ye"  (believers,  ye  saints  of  God) 
4* 


42  INCIPIENT    DECLENSION. 

"  through  the  Sjnrit  do  mortify  the  deeds  of  the 
body,"  (fee.  It  is  the  work  of  the  behever  himself, 
but  the  power  is  of  the  Spirit  of  God.  Take,  then, 
your  discovered  sin  to  the  Spirit :  that  Spirit  bring- 
ing the  cross  of  Jesus,  with  a  kiUing,  crucifying 
power,  into  your  soul,  giving  you  such  a  view  of  a 
Saviour  suffering  for  sin,  as  it  may  be  you  never  had 
before,  will  in  a  moment  lay  your  enemy  slain  at 
your  feet.  O  yield  not  to  despair,  distressed  soul ! 
Art  thou  longing  for  a  gracious  revival  of  God's 
work  within  thee  ? — art  thou  mourning  in  secret 
over  thy  heart-declension  ? — hast  thou  searched  and 
discovered  the  hidden  cause  of  thy  decay  1 — and  is 
thy  real  desire  for  its  mortification?  Then  look  up, 
and  hear  the  consolatory  words  of  thy  Lord :  "  I  am 
the  Lord  that  healeth  thee."  Exod.  xv.  26.  The 
Lord  is  thy  healer ;  his  love  can  restore  thee ;  his 
blood  can  heal  thee  ;  his  grace  can  subdue  thy  sin. 
"  Take  with  you  words,  and  turn  to  the  Lord  ;  say 
unto  him,  Take  away  all  iniquity,  and  receive  us 
graciously  :"  and  the  Lord  will  answer,  "  I  will  heal 
their  backslidings,  I  will  love  them  freely ;  for  mine 
anger  is  turned  away  from  him." 

Endeavor  to  enrich  and  enlarge  your  miiid  with 
more  spiritual  apprehensionsof  the  personal  glory, 
love,  and  fulness  of  Christ.  All  soul-declension 
arises  from  the  admission  of  things  into  the  mind 
contrary  to  the  nature  of  indweUing  grace.  The 
world, — its  pleasures,  its  vanities,  its  cares,  its  varied 
temptations, — these  enter  the  mind,  disguised  in  the 
shape  often  of  lawful  undertakings  and  duties,  and 
draw  off  the  mind  from  God,  and  the  affection  from 


INCIPIENT    DECLENSION.  43 

Christ.  These,  too,  weaken  and  deaden  faith  and 
love,  and  every  grace  of  the  indwelling  Spirit ;  they 
are  the  "foxes  that  spoil  the  vines,  for  our  vines 
have  tender  grapes."  Sol.  Song  ii.  15.  The  world 
is  a  most  hurtful  snare  to  the  child  of  God.  It  is 
impossible  that  he  can  maintain  a  close  and  holy 
walk  with  God,  live  as  a  pilgrim  and  a  sojourner, 
wage  a  constant  and  successful  warfare  against  his 
many  spiritual  foes,  and  at  the  same  time  open  his 
heart  to  admit  the  greatest  foe  to  grace, — the  love  of 
the  world.  But  when  the  mind  is  pre-occupied  by 
Christ,  filled  with  contemplations  of  his  glory,  and 
grace,  and  love,  no  room  is  left  for  the  entrance  of 
external  allurements  :  the  workl  is  shut  out,  and  the 
creature  is  shut  out,  and  the  fascinations  of  sin  are 
shut  out :  and  the  soul  holds  a  constant  and  undis- 
turbed fellowship  with  God,  while  it  is  enabled  to 
maintain  a  more  vigorous  resistance  to  every  exter- 
nal attack  of  the  enemy.  And  O,  how  blessed  is 
the  soul's  communion,  thus  shut  in  with  Jesus! 
"  Behold,  I  stand  at  the  door  and  knock :  if  any  man 
hear  my  voice,  and  open  the  door,  I  will  come  in  to 
him,  and  will  sup  with  him,  and  he  with  me."  '  I 
would  come  in,'  says  the  dear  Lamb  of  God,  '  and 
dwell  in  you,  and  take  up  my  abode  with  you,  and 
sup  with  you,  and  you  with  me.'  This  is  true  fel- 
lowship !  And  O,  sweet  response  of  his  own  Spirit 
in  the  heart,  when  the  believing  soul  exclaims, — 
"  When  thou  saidst,  Seek  ye  my  face  ;  my  heart 
said  unto  thee,  Thy  face.  Lord,  will  I  seek  !"  '  En- 
ter, thou  precious  Jesus ;  I  want  none  but  thee  ;  I 
desire  no  company,  and  would  hear  no  voice  but 


44 


INCIi'IENT    DECLENSION. 


thme  ;  1  will  have  fellowship  with  none  but  thee,— 
let  me  sup  with  thee  :  yea,  give  me  thine  own  flesh 
to  eat,   and  thine  own  biood  to  drink.'     Ah  !  dear 
Christian  reader,  it  is  because  we  have  so  little  to  do 
with  Jesus,— we  admit  him  so  seldom  and  so  reluct- 
antly to  our  hearts,— we   have  so  few  dealings  with 
him,— travel  so  seldom  to  his  blood   and  righteous- 
ness, and  live  so  httle  upon  his  fulness,  that  we  are 
compelled  so  often  to  exclaim,—"  My  leanness,  my 
leanness  !"     But,  if  we  be  "  risen  with  Christ,  seek 
those  things  which  are  above,  where  Christ   sitteth 
on  the  right   hand  of  God  ;"  let  us  seek  to  know 
Christ  more,  to  have  more  spiritual  and  enlarged 
comprehensions  of  his  glory,  to  drink  deeper  into  his 
love,  to  imbibe  more  of  his  spirit,  and  to  conform 
more  closely  to  his  example. 

But  that  which  forms  the  great  secret  of  all  per- 
sonal revival,  is  yet  to  be  disclosed  ;  we  allude  to  a 
fresh  baptism  of  the  Holy  Ghost.     This  a  decli- 
ning soul  needs  more  than  all  beside.     Possessing 
this  in  a  large  degree,  he  possesses  every  spiritual 
blessing:  it  includes,   and   is   the   pledge  of  every 
other.     Our  dear  Lord  sought  to  impress  this,  his 
last  consoling  doctrine,  upon  the  drooping  minds  of 
his  disciples  :  his  bodily  presence  in  their  midst,  he 
taught  them,  was  not  to  be  compared  with  the  spir- 
itual and  permanent  dwelling  of  the  Spirit  among 
them.     The  descent  of  the  Holy  Ghost  was  to  bring 
all  things  that  he  had  taught  them  to  their  remem° 
brance  ;  it  was  to  perfect  them  in  their  knowledge 
of  the  supreme  glory  of  his  person,  the  infinite  per- 
fection of  his  work,  the  nature  and  spirituality  of  his 


INCIPIENT    DECLENSION.  45 

kingdom,  and  its  ultimate  and  certain  triumphs  in 
the  earth.  Tlie  descent  of  the  Spirit,  too.  was  to 
mature  them  in  personal  hohness,  and  more  emi- 
nently fit  them  for  their  arduous  and  successful  la- 
bor in  his  cause,  by  deepening  their  spirituality,  en- 
riching them  with  more  grace,  and  enlarging  them 
with  more  love.  And  fully  did  the  baptism  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  on  the  day  of  Pentecost,  accomplish 
all  this :  the  apostles  emerged  from  his  influence, 
like  men  who  had  passed  through  a  state  of  re-con- 
version. 

And  this  is  the  state,  dear  reader,  you  must  pass 
through,  would  you  experience  a  revival  of  God's 
work  in  your  soul:  you  must  be  reconverted,  and 
that  through  a  fresh  baptism  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
Nothing  short  of  this  will  quicken  your  dying  graces, 
and  melt  your  frozen  love ;  nothing  save  this  will 
arrest  your  secret  declension,  and  restore  your  back- 
sHding  heart.  You  must  he  baptized  afresh  ivith 
the  Spirit ;  that  Spirit  whom  you  have  so  often  and 
so  deeply  wounded,  grieved,  shghted  and  quenched, 
must  enter  you  anew,  and  seal,  and  sanctify,  and 
re-convert  you.  O  arise,  and  pray,  and  agonise  for 
the  outpouring  of  the  Spirit  upon  your  soul ;  give  up 
your  lifeless  religion,  your  form  without  the  power, 
your  prayer  without  communion,  your  confessions 
without  brokenness,  your  zeal  without  love.  And 
O,  what  numerous  and  precious  promises  cluster  in 
God's  word,  all  inviting  you  to  seek  this  blessing ! 
"He  shall  come  down  hke  rain  upon  the  mown 
grass ;  as  showers  that  water  the  earth."  Psalm 
Ixxii.  6.     "  I  will  heal  their  backshdings,  I  will  love 


46  INCIPIENT    DECLENSION. 

them  freely ;  for  mine  anger  is  turned  away  from 
him.  I  will  be  as  the  dew  unto  Israel :  he  shall  grow 
as  the  lily,  and  cast  forth  his  roots  as  Lebanon.  His 
branches  shall  spread,  and  his  beauty  shall  be  as  the 
olive-tree,  and  his  smell  as  Lebanon.  They  that 
dwell  under  his  shadow  shall  return  ;  they  shall  re- 
vive as  the  corn,  and  grow  as  the  vine ;  the  scent 
thereof  shall  be  as  the  wine  of  Lebanon."  Hos.  xiv. 
4-7.  "  Come,  let  us  return  unto  the  Lord ;  for  he 
hath  torn,  and  he  will  heal  us  ;  he  hath  smitten,  and 
he  will  bind  us  up.  After  two  days  will  he  revive 
us,  in  the  third  day  he  will  raise  us  up,  and  we  shall 
live  in  his  sight.  Then  shall  we  know,  if  we  follow 
on  to  know  the  Lord  :  his  going  forth  is  prepared  as 
the  morning ;  and  he  shall  come  unto  us  as  the  rain, 
as  the  latter  and  former  rain  unto  the  earth."  vi. 
1 — 3.  Seek,  then,  above  and  beyond  all  other  bless- 
ings, the  renewed  baptism  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  "  Be 
filled  with  the  Spirit;"  seek  it  earnestly, — seek  it 
under  the  deep  conviction  of  your  absolute  need  of 
it, — seek  it  'perseveringly, — seek  it  believingly. 
God  has  promised,  "  I  will  pour  out  my  Spirit  upon 
you ;"  and,  asking  it  in  the  name  of  Jesus,  you  shall 
receive. 

One  word  more:  Be  not  surprised  if  the  Lord 
should  place  you  in  circumstances  of  deep  trial,  in 
order  to  recover  you  from  your  soul-declension :  the 
Lord  often  adapts  the  peculiarity  of  the  discipUne  to 
that  of  the  case.  Is  it  secret  declension  ?  He  may 
send  some  secret  rebuke,  some  secret  cross,  some  hid- 
den chastisement :  no  one  has  discovered  thy  con- 
cealed declension,  and  no  one  discovers  thy  concealed 


INCIPIENT    DECLENSION.  47 

correction.  The  declension  was  between  God  and 
thy  soul,  so  also  it  may  be  is  the  rebuke  ;  the  back- 
sliding was  of  the  heart,  so  also  is  the  chastisement. 
But  if  the  sanctified  trial  works  the  recovery  of  your 
soul,  the  restoration  to  Christ  of  your  wavering 
heart,  the  revival  of  his  entire  work  within  you,  you 
shall  adore  him  for  the  discipline  ;  and  with  David, 
extolling  the  dealings  of  a  covenant  God  and  Father, 
shall  exclaim, — "Before  I  was  afflicted  I  went  astray, 
but  now  have  I  kept  thy  word.  It  is  good  for  me 
that  I  have  been  afflicted,  that  I  might  learn  thy 
statutes  !" 

Lastly :  Set  out  afresh  for  God  and  heaven,  as 
though  you  had  never  started  in  the  way  before. 
Commence  at  the  beginning ;  go  as  a  sinner  to  Je- 
sus ;  seek  the  quickening,  heahng,  sanctifying  influ- 
ence of  the  Spirit ;  and  let  this  be  your  prayer,  pre- 
sented, and  urged  until  answered,  at  the  footstool  of 
mercy  :  "  O  Lord,  revive  thy  work  !  Quicken  me, 
O  Lord  !  Restore  unto  me  the  joy  of  thy  salvation  !'* 
In  answer  to  thy  petition,  "  He  shall  come  down  like 
rain  upon  the  mown  grass ;  as  showers  that  water 
the  earth  ;"  and  thy  song  shall  be  that  of  the  church, 
"  My  Beloved  spake,  and  said  unto  me.  Rise  up,  ray 
love,  my  fair  one,  and  come  away.  For  lo,  the  win- 
ter is  past,  the  rain  is  over  and  gone.  The  flowers 
appear  on  the  earth,  the  time  of  the  singing  of  birds 
is  come,  and  the  voice  of  the  turtle  is  heard  in  our 
land.  The  fig-tree  putteth  forth  her  green  figs,  and 
the  vines  with  the  tender  grape  give  a  good  smell. 
Arise,  my  love,  my  fair  one,  and  come  away." 


CHAPTER   II. 

DECLENSION      IN      LOVE. 
,   "  The  love  of  many  shall  wax  cold." — Matt.  xxiv.  12. 

Having  described  the  hidden  and  incipient  declen- 
sion of  the  believer,  we  propose  in  the  present  and 
succeeding  chapters,  to  trace  this  melancholy  state 
in  some  of  its  more  advanced  stages,  as  it  is  seen  in 
the  languor  and  decay  of  the  graces  of  the  Spirit  in 
the  soul.  It  is  no  longer  the  concealed,  but  devel- 
oped, character  of  spiritual  and  personal  declension 
that  we  are  now  to  consider.  Its  type  is  more  marked, 
and  its  symptoms  more  palpable  and  visible  to  the 
eye.  It  has  arrived  at  such  a  stage  as  to  render  con- 
cealment impossible.  Just  as  in  the  physical  frame, 
a  shght  sinking  in  the  heart's  pulsation,  even  though 
the  seat  of  disease  is  invisible,  may  be  traced  in  the 
external  symptoms  that  ensue  ;  so,  in  the  spiritual 
man,  when  there  is  a  secret  unhealthiness  of  soul, 
the  effects  are  so  marked  in  their  character  as  to 
leave  no  doubt  of  its  existence.  The  man  may  not 
himself  be  sensible  of  his  backsliding  state  ;  he  may 
wrap  himself  up  in  the  fearful  deception  that  all  is 
well,  close  his  eyes  voluntarily  against  his  real  state, 
disguise  from  himself  the  rapidly  advancing  disease, 
crying  '  peace,  peace,'  and  putting  far  off  the  evil 
day ;  but  with  a  spiritual  and  advancing  believer, 


DECLENSION    IN    LOVE.  49 

one  whose  eye  is  keen  to  detect  an  unfavorable  symp- 
tom, and  whose  touch  is  skilful  to  mark  a  sickly 
pulse,  the  case  is  involved  in  no  mystery. 

In  tracing  the  declension  of  some  of  the  essentia! 
and  prominent  graces  of  the  Spirit,  we  commence 
with  the  grace  of  love,  it  constituting  the  spring- 
head of  all  the  kindred  graces.  The  spiritual  state 
of  the  soul,  and  the  vigor  and  promptness  of  its 
obedience,  will  correspond  with  the  state  and  tone  of 
the  believer's  affections  towards  God.  If  decay, 
coldness,  declension,  exist  here,  it  is  felt  and  traced 
throughout  the  entire  obedience  of  the  new  man. 
Every  grace  of  the  Spirit  feels  it;  every  call  to  duty 
feels  it ;  and  every  throb  of  the  spiritual  pulse  will 
but  betray  the  secret  and  certain  declension  of 
Divine  love  in  the  soul.  Let  the  Christian  reader, 
then,  imagine  what  must  be  the  spiritual  unhealthi- 
ness  of  the  behever,  what  his  outward  and  visible 
declensions  from  God,  when  love,  the  spring  of  all 
spiritual  duties,  ceases  to  exert  a  vigorous  influence, 
and  when,  as  the  heart  of  experimental  godliness,  it 
transmits  but  sickly  and  sluggish  streams  of  life 
throughout  the  spiritual  system.  Let  us,  before  we 
proceed  to  the  immediate  discussion  of  the  main 
subject  before  us,  present  a  brief  and  scriptural  view 
of  the  necessity,  nature,  and  operation  of  Divine 
love  in  the  soul. 

Love  to  God  is  spoken  of  in  his  word,  as  forming 
the  primary  and  grand  requirement  of  the  Divine 
law.  Thus  is  the  truth  declared,  "  Thou  shalt  love 
the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart,  and  with  all 
thy  soul,  and  with  all  thy  mind.  This  is  the  first 
5' 


50  DECLENSION    IN    LOVE. 

and  great  commandment."  Matt.  xxii.  37,  38.  Now, 
it  was  both  infinitely  wise  and  good  in  God,  thus  to 
present  himself  tlie  proper  and  lawful  object  of  love. 
We  say  it  was  wise,  because,  had  he  placed  the 
object  of  supreme  affection  lower  than  himself,  it 
had  been  to  have  elevated  an  inferior  object  above 
himself.  For  whatever  other  object  than  God  is 
loved  with  a  sole  and  supreme  affection,  it  is  a 
deifying  of  that  object,  so  that  it,  as  God.  sitteth  in 
the  temple  of  God,  showing  itself  that  it  is  God.  It 
was  good,  because  a  lesser  object  of  affection  could 
never  have  met  the  desires  and  aspirations  of  an 
immortal  mind.  God  has  so  constituted  man,  im- 
planting in  him  such  a  capacity  for  happiness,  and 
such  boundless  and  immortal  desires  for  its  pos 
session,  as  can  find  their  full  enjoyment  only  in 
infinity  itself.  He  never  designed  that  the  intel- 
ligent and  immortal  creature  should  sip  its  bliss  at 
a  lower  fountain  than  himself.  Then  it  was  in- 
finitely wise  and  good  in  God,  that  he  should  have 
presented  himself  as  the  sole  object  of  supreme  love 
and  worship  to  his  intelligent  creatures.  His  wis- 
dom saw  the  necessity  of  having  one  centre  of 
supreme  and  adoring  affection,  and  one  object  of 
supreme  and  spiritual  worship  to  angels  and  to  men. 
His  goodness  suggested  that  that  centre  and  that 
that  object  should  be  himself,  the  perfection  of 
infinite  excellence,  the  fountain  of  infinite  good. 
That,  as  from  him  went  forth  all  the  streams  of  life 
to  all  creatures,  it  was  but  reasonable  and  jui^t  that 
to  him  should  return,  and  in  him  should  centre,  all 
the  streams  of  love  and  obedience  of  all  intelligent 


DECLENSION    IN    LOVE.  51 

and  immortal  creatures :  that,  as  he  was  the  most 
intelligent,  wise,  glorious,  and  beneficent  object  in 
the  universe,  it  was  meet  that  the  first,  strongest, 
and  purest  love  of  the  creature  should  soar  towards, 
and  find  its  resting-place  in  him. 

Love  to  God,  then,  forms  the  grand  requirement, 
and  fundamental  precept  of  the  Divine  law.  It  is 
l)inding  upon  all  inteUigent  beings.  From  it  no 
consideration  can  release  the  creature.  No  plea  of 
inability,  no  claim  of  inferior  objects,  no  opposition 
of  rival  interest,  can  lessen  the  obligation  of  every 
creature  that  hath  breath  to  '  love  the  Lord  his  God 
with  all  liis  heart,  and  with  all  his  soul,  and  with 
all  his  mind.'  It  grows  out  of  the  relation  of  the 
creature  to  God,  as  his  Creator,  Moral  Governor, 
and  Preserver ;  and  as  being  in  himself  the  only  ob- 
ject of  infinite  excellence,  wisdom,  holiness,  majesty, 
and  grace.  This  obligation,  too,  to  love  God  with 
supreme  affection,  is  binding  upon  the  creature  irre- 
spective of  any  advantage  which  may  result  to  him 
from  so  loving  God.  It  is  most  true  that  God  has 
benevolently  connected  supreme  happiness  with 
supreme  love,  and  has  threatened  supreme  misery, 
where  supreme  affection  is  withheld  ;  yet,  inde- 
pendent of  any  blessing  that  may  accrue  to  the 
creature  from  its  love  to  God,  the  infinite  excellence 
of  the  Divine  nature,  and  the  eternal  relation  in 
which  he  stands  to  the  intelligent  universe,  render  it 
irreversibly  obligatory  on  every  creature  to  love  him 
with  a  supreme,  paramount,  holy,  and  unreserved 
affection. 

1  iOve,  too,  is  the  great  influential  principle  of  the 


52  DECLENSION    IN    LOVE. 

Gospel.  The  religion  of  Jesus  is  pre-eminently  a 
religion  of  motive ;  it  excludes  every  compulsory 
principle  ;  it  arrays  before  the  mind  certain  great  and 
powerful  motives  with  which  it  enlists  the  under- 
standing, the  will,  and  the  affections,  in  the  active 
service  of  Christ.  Now  the  law  of  Christianity  is 
not  the  law  of  coercion,  but  of  love.  This  is  the 
grand  lever,  the  great  influential  motive, — "  the  love 
of  Christ  constraineth  us."  This  was  the  apostle's 
declaration,  and  this  his  governing  motive  ;  and  the 
constraining  love  of  Christ  is  to  be  the  governing 
motive,  the  influential  principle  of  every  believer. 
Apart  from  the  constraining  influence  of  Christ's 
love  in  the  heart,  there  cannot  possibly  be  a  willing, 
prompt,  and  holy  obedience  to  his  commandments. 
A  conviction  of  duty  and  the  influence  of  fear  may 
sometimes  urge  forward  the  soul,  but  love  alone  can 
prompt  to  a  loving  and  holy  obedience  :  and  all  obe- 
dience that  springs  from  an  inferior  motive  is  not  the 
obedience  that  the  gospel  of  Jesus  inculcates.  The 
relation  in  which  the  believer  stands  to  God,  under 
the  new  covenant  dispensation,  is  not  that  of  a  slave 
to  his  master,  but  of  a  child  to  its  father.  "  And 
because  ye  are  sons,  God  hath  sent  forth  the  Spirit 
of  his  Son  into  your  hearts,  crying,  Abba,  Father." 
Gal.  iv.  6.  "  The  Spirit  itself  beareth  witness  with 
our  spirit,  that  we  are  the  children  of  God."  Rom. 
viii.  16,  "  Wherefore  thou  art  no  more  a  servant  (a 
slave,)  but  a  son."  Gal.  iv.  7.  With  this  new  and 
spiritual  relation,  we  look  for  a  new  and  spiritual 
motive,  and  we  find  it  in  that  single  but  comprehen- 
sive word — LOVE.     And  thus  has  our  Lord  declared 


dk(;lension   in  love.  53 

it:  "  If  ye  love  me,  keep  my  commandments."  John 
xiv.  15.  "  If  a  man  love  me,  he  will  keep  my 
words ;  and  he  that  loveth  me  not  keepeth  not  my 
sayings."  Ver.  23,  24.  It  is  them  only  where  this 
love  is  shed  abroad  in  the  heart  by  the  Holy  Ghost, 
that  we  may  expect  to  find  the  fruit  of  obedience. 
Swayed  by  this  Divine  principle,  the  believer  labors 
not  for  life,  but  fioin  life :  not  for  acceptance,  but 
from  acceptance.  A  holy,  self-denying,  cross-bear- 
ing life,  is  not  the  drudgery  of  a  slave,  but  the  filial, 
loving  obedience  of  a  child  :  it  springs  from  love  to 
the  person,  and  gratitude  for  the  work  of  Jesus  ;  and 
is  the  blessed  effect  of  the  spirit  of  adoption  in  the 
heart.  ' 

It  must  be  acknowledged,  too,  that  this  motive  is 
the  most  holy  and  influential  of  all  motives  of  obe- 
dience. Love,  flowing  from  the  heart  of  Jesus  into 
the  heart  of  a  poor  believing  sinner,  expelling  sel- 
fishness, melting  coldness,  conquering  sinfulness, 
and  drawing  that  heart  up  in  a  simple  and  unre- 
served surrender,  is,  of  all  principles  of  action,  the 
most  powerful  and  sanctifying.  Under  the  constrain- 
ing influence  of  this  principle,  how  easy  becomes 
every  cross  for  Jesus! — how  light  every  burthen, 
how  pleasant  every  yoke  !  Duties  become  privile- 
ges— difficulties  vanish — fears  are  quelled — shame  is 
humbled — delay  is  rebuked  ;  and,  all  on  flame  for 
Jesus,  the  pardoned,  justified,  adopted  child  exclaims, 
"  Here,  Lord,  am  I,  a  living  sacrifice  ;  thine  for  time 
and  thine  for  eternity  !" 

Love  is  that  principle  that  expels  all  legal  fear 
from  the  heart.     "  There  is  no  fear  in  love  ;  but  per- 


54  DECLENSION     IN    LOVE. 

feet  love  casteth  out  fear,  because  fear  hath  torment. 
He  that  feareth  is  not  made  perfect  in  love."  1  John 
iv.  18.  Who  that  has  felt  it  will  deny  that  '  fear 
hath  torment  ?'  The  legal  fear  of  death,  of  judg- 
ment, and  of  condemnation,  the  fear  engendered  by 
a  slavish  view  of  the  Lord's  commandments,  a  de- 
fective view  of  the  believer's  relation  to  God, — imper- 
fect conceptions  of  the  finished  work  of  Christ, — un- 
settled apprehensions  of  the  great  fact  of  accept- 
ance,— yielding  to  the  power  of  unbehef, — the  re- 
taining of  guilt  upon  the  conscience,  or  the  influence 
of  any  concealed  sin,  will  fill  the  heart  with  the  tor- 
ment of  fear.  Some  of  the  most  eminent  of  God's 
people  have  thus  been  afflicted  :  this  was  Job's  expe- 
rience,— "  I  am  afraid  of  all  my  sorrows."  "  Even 
when  I  remember,  I  am  afraid,  and  trembling  ta- 
keth  hold  on  my  flesh."  "When  I  consider  him,  I 
am  afraid  of  him."  So  also  David, — "  What  time 
I  am  afraid,  I  will  trust  in  thee."  "  My  flesh  trem- 
bleth  for  fear  of  thee ;  I  am  afraid  of  thy  judg- 
ments." But  '  perfect  love  casteth  out  fear :'  he  that 
feareth  is  not  perfected  in  the  love  of  Christ. 

The  design  and  tendency  of  the  love  of  Jesus  shed 
abroad  in  the  heart,  is  to  lift  the  soul  out  of  all  its 
'  bondage  through  fear  of  death'  and  its  ultimate 
consequences,  and  soothe  it  to  rest  on  that  glorious 
declaration,  triumphing  in  which  many  have  gone  to 
glory.  "  There  is  therefore  now  no  condemnation 
to  them  which  are  in  Christ  Jesus."  See  the  blessed 
spring  from  wlience  flows  a  behever's  victory  over 
all  bondage-fear — from  Jesus  :  not  from  his  expe- 
rience of  the  truth,  not  from  evidence  of  his  accept- 


DECLENSION    IN    LOVE.  55 

ance  and  adoption,  not  from  the  work  of  the  Spirit 
in  his  heart,  blessed  as  it  is,  but  from  out  of,  and 
away  from,  himself,  even  from  Jesus.  The  blood 
and  righteousness  of  Christ,  based  upon  the  infinite 
dignity  and  glory  of  iiis  person,  and  wrought  into 
the  experience  of  the  believer  by  the  Holy  Ghost, 
expel  from  the  heart  all  fear  of  death  and  of  judg- 
ment, and  fill  it  with  perfect  peace.  O  thou  of  fear- 
ful heart !  why  these  anxious  doubts,  why  these 
tormenting  fears,  why  this  shrinking  from  the 
thought  of  death,  why  these  distant,  hard,  and  un- 
kind thoughts  of  God  ?  Why  this  prison-house, — • 
why  this  chain  ?  Thou  art  not  perfected  in  the  love 
of  Jesus,  for  "  perfect  love  casteth  out  fear  ;"  thou 
art  not  perfected  in  that  great  truth,  that  Jesus  is 
mighty  to  save,  that  he  died  for  a  poor  sinner,  that 
his  death  was  a  perfect  satisfaction  to  Divine  jus- 
tice ;  and  that  without  a  single  meritorious  work  of 
thine  own,  just  as  thou  art,  poor,  empty,  vile,  worth- 
less, unworthy,  thou  art  welcome  to  the  rich  pro- 
vision of  sovereign  grace  and  dying  love.  The  sim- 
ple belief  of  this,  will  perfect  thy  heart  in  love ;  and 
perfected  in  love,  every  bondage-fear  will  vanish 
away.  O  seek  to  be  perfected  in  Christ's  love  !  It 
is  a  fathomless  ocean.  Why  then  shouldst  thou  not 
descend  into  it  ?  Approach,  for  it  is  free  ;  drink,  for 
it  is  deep ;  launch  into  it  for  it  is  broad.  "  The 
Lord  direct  your  heart  into  the  love  of  God." 

Love  is  that  grace  of  the  Spirit  that  brings  faith 
into  active  exercise  ;  "  faith  which  worketh  by  love," 
Gal.  V.  6 ;  and  faith  thus  brought  into  exercise, 
brings  every  spiritual  blessing  into  the  soul.     A  be- 


56  DECLENSION    IN    LOVE. 

liever  stands  by  faith,  Rom.  xi.  20  ;  he  walks  by- 
faith,  2  Cor.  V.  7 ;  he  overcometh  by  faith,  1  John 
V.  4 ;  he  Hves  by  faith,  Gal.  ii.  20.  Love  is  there- 
fore a  laboring  grace  ;  "  God  is  not  unrighteous  to 
forget  your  work  and  labor  of  love,  which  ye  have 
showed  towards  his  name."  Heb.  vi.  10.  There 
is  nothing  indolent  in  the  nature  of  true  love  ;  it  is 
not  an  inert,  sluggish  principle ;  where  it  dwells 
in  the  heart  in  a  healthy  and  vigorous  state,  it  con- 
strains the  believer  to  live  not  to  himself,  but  unto 
Him  who  loved  and  gave  himself  for  him ;  it 
awakes  the  soul  to  watchfulness,  sets  it  upon  the 
work  of  frequent  self-examination,  influences  it  to 
prayer,  daily  walking  in  the  precepts,  acts  of  kind- 
ness, benevolence  and  charity,  all  springing  from  love 
to  God,  and  flowing  in  a  channel  of  love  to  man. 

The  Holy  Ghost  distinguishes  love  as  a  part  of 
the  Christian  armor :  "  Let  us,  who  are  of  the  day, 
be  sober,  putting  on  the  breast-plate  of  faith  and 
love."  1  Thess.  v.  8.  Without  ardent  and  increa- 
sing love  to  God,  the  believer  is  but  poorly  armed 
against  his  numerous  spiritual  and  ever-aggressive 
foes :  but  what  a  breast-plate  and  helmet  is  this  in 
the  day  of  battle !  Who  can  overcome  a  child  of 
God  whose  heart  is  overflowing  with  Divine  love  ? 
what  enemy  can  prevail  against  him  thus  armed? 
There  is  something  so  shielding  in  its  influence,  so 
repelling  to  the  spirit  of  enmity  and  darkness,  so  ob- 
noxious to  sin,  that  he  only  is  fit  for  the  conflict  who 
is  well  clad  in  the  breast-plate  of  love.  He  may  be, 
and  he  is,  in  himself,  nothing  but  weakness  ;  his 
foes  many  and  mighty ;  hemmed   in  on  every  side 


by  his  spiritual  Philistines;  and  yet,  liis  heart  soar 
ing  to  God  in  love,  longing  for  his  presence,  panting 
for  his  precepts,  desiring  above  and  beyond  all  otlier 
blessings.  Divine  conformity  !  O  with  what  a  pano- 
ply is  he  clothed  !  No  weapon  formed  against  him 
shall  prosper :  every  '  fiery  dart  of  the  adversary' 
shall  be  quenched,  and  he  shall  '  come  off  more  than 
a  conqueror  through  him  who  hath  loved  him.' 

In  a  word  love  is  immortal ;  it  is  that  grace  of  the 
Spirit  that  will  never  die.  This  is  not  so  with  all 
the  kindred  graces ;  the  period  will  come  when  they 
will  no  more  be  needed.  Tlie  day  is  not  far  distant, 
when  faith  will  be  turned  to  sight,  and  hope  will  be 
lost  in  full  fruition,  but  love  will  never  die  ;  it  will 
live  on,  and  expand  the  heart,  and  tune  the  lip,  and 
inspire  the  song,  through  the  unceasing  ages  of  eter- 
nity. "  Whether  there  be  prophecies,  they  shall  fail ; 
whether  there  be  tongues,  they  shall  cease  ;  whether 
there  be  knowledge,  it  shall  vanish  away  ;"  but  love 
never  faileth  :  it  is  an  eternal  spring,  welled  in  the 
bosom  of  Deity;  heaven  will  be  its  dwelling-place 
God  its  source,  the  glorified  spirit  its  subject,  and  eter- 
nity its  duration. 

For  one  moment  let  the  Christian  reader  call  to  mind 
the  period  and  the  circumstances  of  his^r^^  espo7i- 
sals  to  Jesus.  If  there  ever  was  a  blissful  period  of 
thy  life, — if  a  spot  of  verdure  in  the  remembrance  of 
the  past,  on  which  the  sunlight  ever  rests, — was  it 
not  the  time,  and  is  it  not  the  place,  where  thy  heart 
first  expanded  with  the  love  of  Jesus  ?  Thou  hast, 
it  may  be,  trod  many  a  thorny  path  since  then  ; 
thou  hast  travelled   many  a  weary  step  of  thy  pil- 


58  DECLENSION     IN    LOVE. 

grimage — ^hast  buffeted  many  storms,  hast  waded 
through  many  deep  afflictions,  and  fought  many 
severe  battles, — but  all  have  well  nigh  faded  from 
thy  memory  :  but  the  hour  and  the  events  of  thy 
'first  love,' — these  thou  never  hast  forgotten,  thou 
never  canst  forget.  O  ever  to  be  loved,  ever  to  be 
remembered  with  deep  songs  of  joy,  with  adoring 
gratitude  to  free  and  sovereign  grace,  the  period 
when  the  chains  of  thy  bondage  were  broken, — 
when  thy  fettered  soul  broke  from  its  thraldom,  and 
sprang  into  the  liberty  of  the  sons  of  God, — when  light 
discovered  thy  darkness,  and  that  darkness  rolled 
away  before  its  increasing  lustre, — when  the  Spirit 
wounded  thee,  then  healed  that  wound  with  the  pre- 
cious balm  of  Gilead, — ^when  he  gave  thee  sorrow, 
then  soothed  that  sorrow  by  a  view  of  the  crucified 
Lamb  of  God,— when  faith  took  hold  of  Jesus,  and 
brought  the  blessed  assurance  into  the  soul,  "  1  am 
my  beloved's,  and  my  beloved  is  mine  ;"  and  when 
Jesus  whispered, — O  how  tender  was  his  voice  ! — 
"  Thy  sins,  which  were  many,  are  all  forgiven  thee ; 
go  in  peace."  Bhssfiil  moment !  How  fresh  is  the 
whole  transaction  to  thy  mind  :  the  sanctuary  where 
thou  didst  worship,^ — the  minister  whom  thou  didst 
hear, — the  people  with  whom  thou  didst  associate, — 
the  spot  where  thou  didst  lose  thy  burden,  and  where 
light,  and  love,  and  joy,  broke  in  upon  thy  soul, — 
the  saints  who  rejoiced  over  thee,  and  the  happy 
converts  who  clustered  around  thee,  mingling  their 
joys  and  their  songs  with  thine  ;  and  the  man  of 
God  who  introduced  thee  within  the  pale,  and  to  the 
ordinances  and  the  privileges  of  the  church  of  Christ, 


DECLENSION    IN    LOVE.  59 

— all,  all  is  now  before  thee  with  a  vividness  and  a 
freshness  as  though  it  had  but  just  transpired.  O 
that  the  Lord  should  ever  have  reason  to  prefer  the 
charge,  "  thou  hast  left  thy  first  love  !"  And  yet  to 
the  consideration  of  this  melancholy  state  of  a  pro- 
fessing soul,  we  have  now  to  turn.  May  the  Spirit 
of  truth  and  of  love  be  our  guide  and  teacher  ! 

The  subject  now  before  us  for  reflection,  is  the 
humbling  and  affecting  truth,  that  the  grace  of  love 
in  a  child  of  God  tnay  greatly  and  sadly  decline. 
We  speak,  let  it  be  remembered,  not  of  the  destruc- 
tion of  the  principle,  but  of  the  decline  of  its  power. 
This  spiritual  and  influential  truth  cannot  be  too  fre- 
quently nor  too  strongly  insisted  upon, — that  though 
faith,  and  love,  and  hope,  and  zeal,  and  their  kin- 
dred graces,  may  greatly  decline  in  their  vigor,  fer- 
vor, and  real  growth  ;  yet  that  they  may  entirely 
fail  even  in  their  greatest  decay,  or  severest  trial,  the 
word  of  God  assures  us  can  never  be.  To  believe 
the  opposite  of  this,  is  to  deny  their  Divine  origin, 
their  spiritual  and  immortal  character,  and  to  im- 
peach the  wisdom,  power,  and  faithfulness  of  God. 
Not  a  grain  of  the  true  wheat  can  ever  be  lost  in  the 
sifting,  not  a  particle  of  the  pure  gold  in  the  refining. 
Let  us  now  be  understood  as  unfolding  in  this  chap- 
ter the  declension  of  love  in  its  vital  actings  in  the 
soul,  and  in  its  influential  character  upon  the  out- 
ward, holy  walk  of  a  child  of  God. 

In  looking  into  God's  word,  we  find  this  to  have 
been  the  solemn  charge  which  he  brought  against 
his  ancient  professing  people  :  "  Thus  saith  the  Lord, 
I  remember  thee,  the  kindness  of  thy  youth,  the  love 


60  DECLENSION    IN    LOVE. 

of  thine  espousals,  when  thou  wentest  after  me  in 
the  wilderness,  in  a  land  that  was  not  sown."  Then 
follows  the  charge  of  declension  in  their  love  :  "  Thus 
Baith  the  Lord,  What  iniquity  have  your  fathers 
found  in  me,  that  they  are  gone  far  from  me,  and 
have  walked  after  vanity,  and  are  become  vain  ?" 
"  O  generation,  see  ye  the  word  of  the  Lord.  Have 
I  been  a  wilderness  unto  Israel'.'  a  land  of  dark- 
ness ?  Wherefore  say  my  people,  We  are  lords  ;  we 
will  come  no  more  unto  thee  ?  Can  a  maid  forget 
her  ornaments,  or  a  bride  her  attire  ?  yet  my  people 
have  forgotten  me  days  without  number."  Jer.  ii.  2, 
6,  31.  And  to  the  same  state,  as  forming  an  evi- 
dence of  approaching  desolations,  our  dear  Lord  re- 
fers, when  he  says,  "  And  because  iniquity  shall 
abound,  the  love  of  many  shall  wax  cold."  Matt, 
xxiv.  12.  And  against  the  church  of  Ephesus  the 
same  charge  is  thus  preferred  ;  "  Nevertheless  I  have 
somewhat  against  thee,  because  thou  hast  left  thy 
first  love."  Rev.  ii.  4.  The  following  may  be  con- 
sidered as  forming  some  of  the  marked  characteris- 
tics of  the  decay  and  declension  of  this  principle. 

When  God  becomes  less  an  object  of  fervent  de- 
sire, holy  delight,  arid  frequent  contemplatioti,  we 
may  suspect  a  declension  of  Divine  love  in  the  soul. 
Our  spiritual  views  of  God,  and  our  spiritual  and 
constant  \Jelight  in  him,  will  be  materially  affected 
by  the  state  of  our  spiritual  love.  If  there  is  cold- 
ness in  the  affections,  if  the  mind  grows  earthly,  car- 
nal, and  selfish,  dark  and  gloomy  shadows  will  gather 
round  the  character  and  the  glory  of  God.  He  will 
become  less  an  object  of  supreme  attachment,  un- 


DECLKNSION    IN    LOVE.  61 

mingled  delight,  adoring  contemplation,  and  filial 
trust.  The  moment  the  supreme  love  of  Adam  to 
God  declined, — the  instant  that  it  swerved  from  its 
proper  and  lawful  centre,  he  shunned  converse  with 
God,  and  sought  to  embower  himself  from  the  pres- 
ence of  the  Divine  glory.  Conscious  of  a  change  in 
his  aifections, — sensible  of  a  divided  heart,  of  sub- 
jection to  a  rival  interest, — and  knowing  that  God 
was  no  longer  the  object  of  his  supreme  love,  nor  the 
fountain  of  his  pure  delight,  nor  the  blessed  and  only 
source  of  his  bliss, — he  rushed  from  his  presence  as 
from  an  object  of  terror,  and  sought  concealment  in 
Eden's  bowers.  That  God  whose  presence  was  once 
so  glorious,  whose  converse  was  so  holy,  whose  voice 
was  so  sweet,  became  as  a  strange  God  to  the  rebel- 
lious and  conscious-stricken  creature,  and,  '  absence 
from  thee  is  best,'  was  written  in  dark  letters  upon 
his  guilty  brow. 

And  whence  this  difference  ?  Was  God  less  glori- 
ous in  himself?  was  he  less  holy,  less  loving,  less 
faithful,  or  less  the  fountain  of  supreme  bliss  ?  Far 
from  it.  God  had  undergone  no  change.  It  is  the 
perfection  of  a  perfect  Being  that  he  is  unchange- 
able ;  that  he  can  never  act  contrary  to  his  own  na- 
ture, but  must  ever  be,  in  all  that  he  does,  in  har- 
mony with  himself.  The  change  was  in  the  crea- 
ture. Adam  had  left  his  first  love,  and  transferred 
his  affections  to  another  and  an  inferior  object ;  and 
conscious  that  he  had  ceased  to  love  God,  he  would 
fain  have  veiled  himself  from  his  presence,  and  have 
excluded  himself  from  his  communion.  It  is  even 
so  in  the  experience  of  a  believer,  conscious  of  de- 
6 


62  DECLENSION    IN    LOVE. 

clension  in  his  love  to  God.  Tiiere  is  a  hiding  from 
his  presence  ;  there  are  misty  views  of  his  character, 
misinterpretations  of  his  deahngs,  and  a  lessening 
of  holy  desire  for  him  :  but  where  the  heart  is  right 
in  its  affections,  warm  in  its  love,  fixed  in  its  desires, 
God  is  glorious  in  his  perfections,  and  communion 
with  him  the  highest  bliss  on  earth.  This  was 
David's  experience, — "  O  God,  thou  art  my  God  ; 
early  will  I  seek  thee  :  my  soul  thirsteth  for  thee, 
my  flesh  longeth  for  thee  in  a  dry  and  thirsty  land 
where  no  water  is ;  to  see  thy  power  and  thy  glory, 
so  as  I  have  seen  thee  in  the  sanctuary.  Because 
thy  loving-kindness  is  better  than  life,  my  lips  shall 
praise  thee."  Ps.  Ixiii.  1 — 3. 

Not  only  in  the  declension  of  Divine  love  in  the 
soul,  does  God  become  less  an  object  of  adoring  con- 
templation and  desire,  but  there  is  less  filial  ap- 
jiroach  to  him.  The  sweet  confidence  and  simple 
trust  of  the  child  is  lost ;  the  soul  no  longer  rushes 
into  his  bosom  with  all  the  lowly  yet  fond  yearn- 
ings of  an  adopted  son,  but  lingers  at  a  distance  ;  or, 
if  it  attempts  to  approach,  does  so  with  the  trembling 
and  the  restraint  of  a  slave.  The  tender,  loving,  child- 
like spirit,  that  marked  the  walk  of  the  believer  in 
the  days  of  his  espousals,  when  no  object  was  so  glo- 
rious to  him  as  God,  no  being  so  loved  as  his  hea- 
venly Father,  no  spot  so  sacred  as  the  throne  of 
communion,  no  theme  so  sweet  as  his  free  grace 
adoption,  has  in  a  great  degree  departed ;  and  dis- 
trust, and  legal  fears,  and  bondage  of  spirit,  have 
succeeded  it.     All  these  sad  effects  may  be  traced  to 


DECLENSION    IN    LOVE.  63 

the  declension  of  filial  love  in  the  soul  of  the  be- 
liever towards  God. 

Hard  thovghts  of  God  in  his  dispensations,  may 
be  regarded  as  another  undeniable  symptom.  Tiie 
mark  of  a  vigorous  love  to  God  is,  when  the  soul 
justifies  God  in  all  his  wise  and  gracious  dealings 
with  it ;  rebels  not,  murmurs  not,  repines  not,  but 
meekly  and  silently  acquiesces  in  the  dispensation, 
be  it  never  so  trying.  Divine  love  in  the  heart, 
deepening  and  expanding  towards  that  God  from 
whence  it  springs,  will,  in  the  hour  of  trial,  exclaim, 
"My  God  has  smitten  me,  but  he  is  my  God  still, 
faithful  and  loving.  My  Father  has  chastened  me 
sore,  but  he  is  my  Father  still,  tender  and  kind. 
This  trying  dispensation  originated  in  love,  it  speaks 
with  the  voice  of  love,  it  bears  with  it  the  message 
of  love,  and  is  sent  to  draw  my  heart  closer  and  yet 
closer  to  the  God  of  love  from  whom  it  came."  Dear 
reader,  art  thou  one  of  the  Lord's  afflicted  ones? 
Happy  art  thou  if  this  is  the  holy  and  blessed  result 
of  his  dealings  with  thee.  Happy  if  thou  heardest 
the  voice  of  love  in  the  rod,  winning  thy  lone  and 
sorrowful  heart  to  the  God  from  whom  it  came. 
But  when  love  to  God  has  declined,  the  reverse  of 
this  is  the  state  of  a  tried  and  afflicted  believer. 

When  there  is  but  little  inclination  for  commun- 
ion with  God,  and  the  throne  of  grace  is  sought 
as  a  duty  rather  than  a  privilege,  and  conse- 
quently, but  little  fellowship  is  experienced,  a 
stronger  evidence  we  need  not  of  a  declension  of 
love  in  the  soul.  The  more  any  object  is  to  us  a 
source  of  sweet  delight  and  contemplation,  the  more 


64  DECLENSION    IN    LOVE. 

Strongly  do  we  desire  its  presence,  and  the  more 
restless  are  we  in  its  absence.  The  friend  we  love 
we  want  constantly  at  our  side ;  the  spirit  goes  out 
in  longings  for  communion  with  him, — his  presence 
sweetens,  his  absence  embitters,  every  other  joy. 
Precisely  true  is  this  of  God.  He  who  knows  God, 
who,  with  faith's  eye,  has  discovered  some  of  his 
glory,  and  by  the  power  of  the  Spirit,  has  felt  some- 
thing of  his  love,  will  not  be  at  a  loss  to  distinguish 
between  God's  sensible  presence,  and  absence  in  the 
soul.  Some  professing  people  walk  so  much  without 
communion,  without  fellowship,  without  daily  filial 
and  close  intercourse  with  God  :  they  are  so  im- 
mersed in  the  cares,  and  so  lost  in  the  fogs  and 
mists  of  the  world  ;  the  fine  edge  of  their  spiritual 
aflfection  is  so  blunted,  and  their  love  so  frozen  by 
contact  with  worldly  influences  and  occupations, — 
and  no  less  so,  with  cold,  formal  professors, — that 
the  Sun  of  righteousness  may  cease  to  shine  upon 
their  soul,  and  they  not  know  it !  God  may  cease 
to  visit  them,  and  his  absence  not  be  felt !  He 
may  cease  to  speak,  and  the  stillness  of  his  voice 
not  awaken  an  emotion  of  alarm  !  Yea,  a  more 
strange  thing  would  happen  to  them,  if  the  Lord 
were  suddenly  to  break  in  upon  their  soul,  with  a 
visit  of  love,  than  were  he  to  leave  them  for  weeks 
and  months  without  any  token  of  his  presence. 
Reader,  art  thou  a  professing  child  of  God  ?  Con- 
tent not  thyself  to  live  thus ;  it  is  a  poor,  lifeless  ex- 
istence, unworthy  of  thy  profession,  unworthy  of 
Him  whose  name  thou  dost  bear,  and  unworthy 
of  the  glorious  destiny  towards  which  thou  art  look- 


DECLENSION    IN    LOVE,  65 

ing.  Thus  may  a  believer  test  the  character  of  his 
love ;  he,  in  whose  heart  Divine  affection  deepens, 
increases,  and  expands,  finds  God  an  object  of  in- 
creasing delight  and  desire,  and  communion  with 
him,  the  most  costly  privilege  on  earth :  he  cannot 
hve  in  the  neglect  of  constant,  secret,  and  close  fel- 
lowship with  his  God,  his  best  and  most  faithful 
Friend. 

When  there  is  a  less  tender  walk  ivith  God,  we 
may  be  at  no  loss  to  ascertain  the  state  of  our  love. 
What  do  we  mean  by  a  tender  walk  ?  When  a  be- 
liever walks  in  holy  circumspection,  in  uprightness, 
integrity,  close  vigilance,  and  prayerfulness,  before 
God,  he  then  walks  softly :  "  I  shall  go  softly  all  my 
years."  Isa.  xxxviii.  15.  When  with  filial  tender- 
ness, he  trembles  to  offend  his  Father,  his  God,  his 
best  Friend, — when  he  increasingly  delights  himself 
in  the  precepts  and  commandments  of  the  Lord, — 
when  he  would  rather  pluck  from  himself  the  right 
eye,  and  sever  the  right  hand,  than  wilfully  and 
knowingly  offend  God,  and  grieve  the  Spirit ;  then 
his  walk  is  tender  and  soft  and  close  with  God. 
And  what  constrains  a  believer  to  this  glorious  life, 
this  holy,  hidden  walk,  but  the  love  of  God  shed 
abroad  in  his  heart  ?  Imagine,  then,  what  dangers 
must  throng  the  path,  what  temptations  must  beset 
the  soul,  in  whom  the  precious  and  influential  grace 
of  love  is  in  a  state  of  declension  and  decay ! 

Need  we  add,  whe7i  Christ  is  less  glorious  to  the 
eye,  and  less  precious  to  the  heart,  Divine  love  in 
the  soul  of  a  believer  must  be  on  the  wane  1  it  can- 
not be  otherwise.  Our  views  of  Jesus  must  be  ma- 
6* 


66  DECLENSION    IN    LOVE. 

terially  affected  by  the  state  of  our  affections  towards 
him.  When  there  is  but  httle  deahng  with  the 
atoning  blood,  leaning  upon  the  righteousness,  draw- 
ing from  the  fulness,  and  bearing  daily  the  cross  of 
Christ,  the  love  of  a  believer  waxeth  cold.  We 
would  judge  the  depth  of  a  man's  Christianity,  by 
his  reply  to  the  question.  " '  What  think  ye  of  Christ  V 
Is  he  lived  to,  is  he  lived  upon  ?  is  his  name  your  de- 
light, his  cross  your  boast,  his  work  your  resting 
place?"  This  will  be  your  blessed  experience,  if 
the  pulse  of  Divine  love  beats  strong  in  your  breast 
for  Christ. 

A  decay  of  love  to  the  saints  of  God,  is  a  strong 
evidence  of  a  decay  of  love  to  God  himself.  If  we 
love  God  with  a  sincere  and  deepening  affection,  we 
must  love  his  image  wherever  we  find  it.  It  is  true, 
the  picture  may  be  but  an  imperfect  copy,  the  out- 
line may  be  but  faintly  drawn  ;  there  may  be  shades 
we  cannot  approve  of;  yet,  recognizing  in  the  work 
the  hand  of  the  Spirit,  and  in  the  outline  some  re- 
semblance to  Him  whom  our  souls  admire  and  love, 
we  must  feel  a  drawing  out  of  our  holiest  affections 
towards  the  object ;  we  shall  not  pause  before  the 
surrender  is  made,  to  inquire  to  what  section  of  the 
church  of  Christ  he  belongs,  what  name  he  bears, 
or  what  the  color  of  his  uniform  ;  but,  discovering 
the  man  of  God,  the  meek  and  lowly  follower  of 
Jesus,  our  heart  and  our  hand  are  freely  offered. 
O  what  a  passport  to  our  hearts  is  the  image  of 
Jesus  in  a  child  of  God  !  Do  we  trace  Christ  in  the 
principles  that  guide  him,  in  the  motives  that  govern 
him,  in  the  spirit,  in   the  very  looks  of  the  man  ? — 


DKCLENSloN     IN    LOVE.  67 

we  feel  that  we  must  take  him  to  our  bosom  for 
Jesus'  sake.  O,  it  marks  the  decay  of  love  to  God 
in  the  soul,  when  the  heart  beats  faintly,  and  the 
eye  looks  coldly,  towards  any  dear  saint  of  God,  be- 
cause he  belongs  not  to  our  party,  and  wears  not 
our  badge ;  when  bigotry,  narrow-minded  selfish- 
ness warps  the  mind,  congeals  the  current  of  love, 
and  almost  unchristianises  a  believer.  The  word  of 
God  is  solemn  and  decisive  on  this  point ;  "  If  a  man 
say,  I  love  God^  and  hateth  his  brother,  he  is  a  liar ; 
for  he  that  loveth  not  his  brother  whom  he  hath 
seen,  how  can  he  love  God  whom  he  hath  not  seen  ? 
And  this  commandment  have  we  from  him,  that  he 
who  loveth  God,  love  his  brother  also."  1  John  iv. 
20,  21.  "  By  this,"  says  Jesus,  "  shall  all  men  know 
that  ye  are  my  disciples,  if  ye  love  one  another."  If 
we  love  not  the  visible  resemblance,  how  can  we 
love  the  invisible  Archetype  ? 

When  love  to  God  decUnes,  with  it  will  decline  an 
interest  in  the  advancement  and  prosperity  of  his 
cause  :  the  one  invariably  follows  the  other.  We 
do  not  say  that  outward  zeal  may  not  continue 
long  after  a  process  of  concealed  declension  has  ad- 
vanced in  the  soul,  and  secret  duties  have  become 
neglected — this  is  the  lamentable  case  with  many  ; 
but  a  true,  spiritual,  and  lively  interest  in  the  in- 
crease of  Christ's  kingdom,  in  the  diffusion  of»  his 
truth,  the  deepening  of  holiness  in  the  church,  the 
conversion  of  sinners,  will  invariably  decline  with 
the  declension  of  love  to  God.  And  when  we  mark 
a  member  of  a  church  maintaining  his  external 
union,  and  yet  hanging   as   a   dead   and   fruitless 


68  DECLENSION    IN    LOVE. 

branch  upon  the  vine,  doing  nothing  to  advance  the 
cause  of  God  and  truth,  withholding  his  money,  liis 
prayers,  his  personal  attendance  on  the  means  of 
grace,  and  rather  opposing  than  cheering  on  the  ac- 
tive portion  of  the  body,  we  are  ready  to  ask,  "  how 
dvvelleth  the  love  of  God  in  him  ?" 

The  declension  of  love  may  be  traced  to  many 
CAUSES  :  we  can  enumerate  but  a  few  ;  let  the  fol- 
lowing be  seriously  pondered.  Worldly  encroach- 
ment is  a  fruitful  cause  ;  no  two  affections  can  be 
more  opposite  and  antagonist  than  love  to  God  and 
love  to  the  world  :  it  is  impossible  that  they  can  both 
exist  with  equal  force  in  the  same  breast ;  the  one 
or  the  other  must  be  supreme, — they  cannot  occupy 
the  same  throne.  If  a  Divine  affection  is  regent, 
then  the  world  is  excluded  ;  but  if  an  earthly  affec- 
tion, a  grovelling  and  increasing  love  to  the  world 
governs — God  is  shut  out :  the  one  must  give  place 
to  the  other.  Love  to  God  will  expel  love  to  the 
world  ;  love  to  the  world  will  deaden  the  soul's  love 
to  God.  "  No  man  can  serve  two  masters  :"  it  is  im- 
possible to  love  God  and  the  world,  to  serve  him  and 
mammon.  Here  is  a  most  fertile  cause  of  declension 
in  Divine  love ;  guard  against  it  as  you  would  for- 
tify yourself  against  your  greatest  foe.  It  is  a  vor- 
tex that  has  engulphed  millions  of  souls  ;  multitudes 
of  professing  Christians  have  been  drawn  into  its 
eddy,  and  have  gone  down  into  its  gulf.  This 
enemy  of  your  soul  will  steal  upon  you  by  silent  and 
insidious  encroachment.  It  has  it?  disguises  many. 
It  will  present  itself  masked  in  a  proper  regard  for 
business,  in  a  diligence  in  lawful  callings,  a  prudent 


DECLENSION    IN    LOVE.  69 

yielding  to  domestic  claims,  and  will  even  quote 
scriptural  precept  and  example,  and  assume  the  form 
of  an  angel  of  light ;  but  suspect  it,  guard  against  it. 
Remember  what  is  recorded  by  the  apostle  of  a  pri- 
mitive professor :  "  Demas  hath  forsaken  me,  having 
loved  this  present  world.^^  Be  not  a  modern  De- 
mas ;  "  Love  not  the  world,  neither  the  things  that 
are  in  the  world  ;  if  any  man  love  the  world,  the 
love  of  the  Father  is  not  in  him."  No  Christian  man 
can  maintain  his  spirituality  unimpaired,  his  love 
uninjured,  his  robe  unspotted,  his  walk  irreproach- 
able, who  secretly  admits  the  world  to  his  heart. 
How  can  he  exemplify  the  life  of  a  pilgrim  and  a 
sojourner  ;  how  can  his  heart  rise  in  a  constant  flame 
of  love  to  God  ;  what  attraction  can  the  throne  of 
grace  have,  what  zest  in  spiritual  duties,  what  de- 
light in  the  communion  of  saints,  while  his  heart 
goes  out  after  covetousness,  and  worldly  ambition, 
love  of  place,  and  human  applause  are  the  rival  pas- 
sions of  his  soul  ?  Let  it,  then,  be  solemnly  remem- 
bered, that  an  inordinate,  uncrucified  attachment  to 
the  world,  must  be  parted  with,  if  the  precious  grace 
of  love  to  God  is  to  enthrone  itself  in  the  affections 
of  the  believer. 

An  idolatrous  and  unsanctijied  attachment  to 
the  creature,  has  again  and  again  crucified  love  to 
Christ  in  the  heart.  Upon  the  same  principle  that 
no  man  can  love  the  world  and  God  with  a  like 
supreme  and  kindred  afl'ection,  so  no  man  can  give 
to  Christ  and  the  creature  the  same  intensity  of  re- 
gard. And  yet,  how  often  has  the  creature  stolen 
the  heart  from  its  lawful  Sovereign  !     That  heart 


70  DECLENSION    IN    LOVE. 

that  was  once  so  simply  and  so  supremely  the 
Lord's, — those  affections  that  clung  to  him  with 
such  purity  and  power  of  grasp,  have  now  been 
transferred  to  another  and  inferior  object :  the  piece 
of  clay  that  God  had  given  but  to  deepen  the  obli- 
gation and  heighten  the  soul's  love  to  himself,  has 
been  moulded  into  an  idol,  before  which  the  heart 
pours  its  daily  incense :  the  flower  that  he  has 
caused  to  spring  forth,  but  to  endear  his  own  beauty, 
and  make  his  own  name  more  fragrant,  has  sup- 
planted the  'Rose  of  Sharon'  in  the  bosom.  Oh! 
is  it  thus  that  we  abuse  our  mercies  ?  is  it  thus  that 
we  convert  our  blessings  into  poisons  ?  that  we  al- 
low the  things  that  were  sent  to  endear  tire  heart 
of  our  God,  and  to  make  the  cross,  through  which 
they  came,  more  precious,  to  allure  our  alFecLions 
from  their  holy  and  blessed  centre  ?  Fools  that  we 
are,  to  love  the  creature  more  than  the  Creator ! 
Dear  reader,  why  has  God  been  disciplining  thee 
as,  it  may  be,  he  has  ?  why  has  he  removed  thine 
idols,  crumbled  into  dust  thy  piece  of  clay,  and  blown 
witheringly  upon  thy  beauteous  flower? — ^why?  be- 
cause he  hateth  idolatry  ;  and  idolatry  is  essen- 
tially the  same,  whether  it  be  ofTered  to  a  lifeless, 
shapeless  stock,  or  to  a  spirit  of  intellect  and  beauty. 
And  what  speaks  his  voice  in  every  stream  that  he 
dries,  in  every  plant  that  he  blows  upon,  and  in 
every  disappointment  he  writes  upon  the  creature  ? — 
"  My  son,  give  ine  thine  heart.  I  want  thy  love, 
thy  pure  and  supreme  affeation  ;  I  want  to  be  the 
one  and  only  object  of  thy. delight.  I  gave  my  Son 
for    thee — his  life    for  thine ;    I  sent  my  Spirit  to 


DECLENSION    IN    LOVE.  71 

quicken,  to  renew,  to  seal,  and  to  possess  thee  for 
myself :  all  this  I  did,  that  I  might  have  thine  heart. 
To  possess  myself  of  this,  I  have  smitten  thy  gourds, 
removed  thine  idols,  broken  thine  earthly  depend- 
ences, and  have  sought  to  detach  thy  afiections  from 
the  creature,  that  they  may  rise,  undivided  and  un- 
fettered, and  entwine  around  one  who  loves  thee 
with  an  undying  love." 

Again ;  interpreting-  God's  covenant  dealings 
in  the  light  ofjudgjnents  rather  than  the  fruits  of 
love,  will  tend  greatly  to  deaden  the  soul's  affections 
towards  God.  Hard  and  harsh  thoughts  of  God, 
will  be  the  effect  of  wrong  interpretations  of  his 
deahngs  :  if  for  one  moment  we  remove  the  eye 
from  off  the  heart  of  God  in  the  hour  and  depth  of 
our  trial,  we  are  prepared  to  give  heed  to  every  dark 
suggestion  of  the  adversary ;  that  moment  we  look 
at  the  dispensation  with  a  different  mind,  and  to 
God  with  an  altered  affection ;  we  view  the  chas- 
tisement as  the  effect  of  displeasure,  and  the  coven- 
ant God  that  sent  it,  as  unkind,  unloving,  and 
severe.  But  let  faith's  eagle-eye  pierce  the  clouds 
and  darkness  that  surround  the  throne,  and  behold 
the  heart  of  God  as  still  love,  all  love,  and  nothing 
but  love,  to  his  afflicted,  bereaved,  and  sorrow- 
stricken  child,  and  in  a  moment  every  murmur  will 
be  hushed,  every  rebellious  feeling  will  be  still,  and 
every  unkind  thought  will  lay  in  the  dust ;  and, 
"He  hath  done  all  things  well, — in  love  and  faith- 
fulness hath  he  ajfflicted  me,"  will  be  the  only  sounds 
uttered  by  the  lips.  If,  then,  beloved,  you  would 
have  your  heart  always  fixed  on  God,  its  affections 


72  DECLENSION    IN    LOVE. 

flowing  in  one  vmbroken  current  towards  him,  in- 
terpret every  dispensation  that  he  sends  in  the  Ught 
of  his  love  ;  never  suffer  yourself  to  be  betrayed  into 
the  belief,  that  any  other  feeling  prompts  the  dis- 
cipline ;  give  not  place  to  the  suggestion  for  one 
moment,— banish  it  from  the  threshold  of  your  mind, 
the  moment  it  seeks  an  entrance.  And  let  this  be 
the  reflection  that  hushes  and  soothes  you  to  repose, 
even  as  an  infant  upon  its  mother's  breast:  "My 
God  is  love  !  my  Father  is  unchangeable  tenderness 
and  truth  !  he  hath  done  it,  and  it  is  well  done." 

Let  us  now  turn  to  the  consideration  of  the  revival 
of  this  waning  grace  in  the  child  of  God  ;  but  before 
any  especial  means  of  revival  are  suggested  or 
adopted,  let  the  believer  seek  to  know  the  exact  state 
of  his  love  to  God.  A  knowledge  of  himself  is  the 
first  step  in  the  return  of  every  soul  to  God.  In  con- 
version, it  was  self-knowledge — a  knowledge  of  our- 
selves as  utterly  lost — that  led  us  to  Jesus  ;  thus  did 
the  Eternal  Spirit  teach,  and  thus  he  led  us  to  the 
great  and  finished  work  of  the  Son  of  God.  Before, 
then,  you  fall  upon  any  means  of  revival,  ascertain 
the  exact  state  of  your  love,  and  what  has  caused  its 
declension  ;  shrink  not  from  the  examination, — turn 
not  from  the  discovery.  And  should  the  humiliating 
truth  force  itself  upon  you, — "  I  am  not  as  I  once 
was  ;  my  soul  has  lost  ground, — my  spirituality  of 
mind  has  decayed;—!  have  lost  the  fervor  of  my 
first  love— have  slackened  in  the  heavenly  race  ; — 
Jesus  is  not  as  he  once  was,  the  joy  of  my  day,  the 
song  of  my  night ; — and  my  walk  with  God  is  no 
longer  so  tender,  loving,  and  filial,  as  it  was,"— then 


DECLENSION    IN    LOVE.  73 

honestly  and  humbly  confess  it  before  God.  To  be 
humbled  as  we  should  be,  we  must  know  ourselves  ; 
there  must  be  no  disguising  of  our  true  condition 
from  ourselves,  nor  from  God  ;  there  must  be  no 
framing  of  excuses  for  our  declensions :  the  wound 
must  be  probed,  the  disease  must  be  known,  and  its 
most  aggravated  symptoms  brought  to  view.  Ascer- 
tain, then,  the  true  state  of  your  affection  towards 
God  ;  bring  your  love  to  him,  to  the  touchstone  of 
truth  ;  see  how  far  it  has  declined,  and  thus  you  will 
be  prepared  for  the  second  step  in  the  work  of  revival, 
which  is,  to  'iX 

Trace  out  and  to  crucify  the  cause  of  your  de- 
clension in  love.  Where  love  declines,  there  must 
be  a  cause ;  and  when  ascertained,  it  must  be  im- 
mediately removed.  Love  to  God  is  a  tender  flower ; 
it  is  a  sensitive  plant,  soon  and  easily  crushed  ;  per- 
petual vigilance  is  needed  to  preserve  it  in  a  healthy, 
growing  state.  The  world's  heat  will  wither  it,  the 
coldness  of  formal  profession  will  often  nip  it;  a 
thousand  influences,  all  foreign  to  its  nature  and 
hostile  to  its  growth,  are  leagued  against  it;  the  soil 
in  which  it  is  placed,  is  not  genial  to  it.  "  In  the 
flesh  there  dwelleth  no  good  thing;"  whatever  of 
holiness  is  in  the  believer,  whatever  breathing  after 
Divine  conformity,  whatever  soaring  of  the  affections 
towards  God,  is  from  God  himself,  and  is  there  as 
the  result  of  sovereign  grace.  "  That  which  is  born 
of  the  flesh  is  flesh  ;  and  that  which  is  born  of  the 
Spirit  is  spirit."  What  sleepless  vigilance,  then,  and 
what  perpetual  culture  are  needed,  to  preserve  the 
bloom  and  the  fragrance,  and  to  nourish  the  growth 
7 


74  DECLENSION    IN    LOVE. 

of  this  celestial  plant!     Search  out  and  remove  the 
cause  of  the  declension  and  decay  of  this  precious 
grace  of  the  Spirit ;  rest  not  until  it  is  discovered 
and  brought  to  light;    should  it  prove   to  be   the 
world,  come  out  from  it,   and  be  ye  separate,  and 
touch  not  the  unclean  thing ;  or  the  power  of  in- 
dwelling sin,  seek  its  immediate  crucifixion  by  the 
cross  of  Jesus.     Does  the  creature  steal  thy  heart 
from  Christ,  and  deaden  thy  love  to  God  ?— resign  it 
at  God's  bidding;  he  asks  the  surrender  of  thine 
heart,  and  has  promised  to  be  better  to  thee  than  all 
creature  love.    All  the  tenderness,  the  fond  affection, 
the  acute   sympathy,    the   true  fidelity,    that  thou 
ever  didst  find  or  enjoy  in  the  creature,  dwells  in 
God,  thy  covenant  God  and  Father,  in  an  infinite 
degree.      He  makes  the  creature  all  it  is  to  thee: 
that  fond   smile  which  thy    fellow  believer  beamed 
upon  thee,  was  but  a  ray  from   his  countenance; 
that  expression  of  love  was   but  a  drop  from   his 
heart ;  that  tenderness  and  sympathy  was  a  part  of 
his  nature.      Then  possessing  God  in  Christ,   you 
can  desire  no  more,— you  can  have  no  more:  if  he 
asks  the  surrender  of  the  creature,  cheerfully  resign 
it ;  and  let  God  be  all  in  all  to  thee.     This  suggests 
a  second  direction  : — 

Draw  largely  from  the  fount  of  love  in  God. 
All  love  to  God  in  the  soul,  is  the  result  of  his  love 
to  us ;  it  is  begotten  in  the  heart  by  his  Spirit, — 
"  We  love  him,  because  he  first  loved  us :"  he  took 
the  first  step,  and  made  the  first  advance,—"  he  first 
loved  us."  O  heart-melting  truth!  The  love  of 
God  to  us  when  yet  we  were  sinners,  who  can  un- 


DECLENSION    IN    LOVE.  75 

fold  it  ?  what  mortal  tongue  can  describe  it  7   Before 
we  had  any  being,  and  when  we  were  enemies,  he 
sent  his  Son  to  die  for  us ;  and  when  we  were  far 
off  by  wicked  works,  he  sent  his  Spirit  to  bring  us 
to  him  in  the  cloudy  and  dark  day.    All  his  dealings 
with  us  since  then — his  patience,  restoring  mercies, 
tender,  loving,  faithful  care,  yea,  the  very  strokes  of 
his  rod,   have  but  unfolded  the  depths  of  his  love 
towards  his  people  :  this  is  the  love  we  desire  you  to 
be  filled  with.     "  The  Lord  direct  your  hearts  into 
the  love  of  God."      Draw  largely  from  this  river ; 
why  should  you  deny  yourselves  ?    There  is  enough 
love  in  God  to  overflow  the  hearts  of  all  his  saints 
through  all  eternity  ;  then  why  not  be  filled  ?    "  The 
Lord  direct  your  hearts  into  the  love  of  God  ;"  stand 
not  upon  the  brink  of  the  fountain,  linger  not  upon 
the  margin  of  this  river, — enter  into  it — plunge  itito 
it ;  it  is  for  thee,— poor,  worthless,  unworthy,  vile,  as 
thou  feelest  thyself  to  be, — this  river  of  love  is  yet 
for  thee!     Seek  to  be  filled  with  it,  that  ye  may 
know  the  love  of  Christ  which  passeth  knowledge, 
and  that  your  heart  in  return  may  ascend  in  a  flame 
of  love  to  God. 

Deal  tnuch  and  closely  with  a  crucified  Saviour. 
Here  is  the  grand  secret  of  a  constant  ascending  of 
the  aflfections  to  God.  If  thou  dost  find  it  difficult 
to  comprehend  the  love  of  God  towards  thee,  read  it 
in  the  cross  of  his  dear  Son.  "  In  this  was  mani- 
fested the  love  of  God  towards  us,  because  that  God 
sent  his  only-begotten  Son  into  the  world,  that  we 
might  live  through  him.  Herein  is  love,  not  that 
we  loved  God,  but  that  he  loved  us,  and  sent  his 


76  DECLENSION    IN    LOVE. 

Son  to  be  the  propitiation  for  our  sins."  1  John  iv.  9, 
10.  Dwell  upon  this  amazing  fact ;  drink  into  this 
precious  truth ;  muse  upon  it,  ponder  it,  search  into 
it,  pray  over  it,  until  your  heart  is  melted  down,  and 
broken,  and  overwhelmed  with  God's  wondrous  love 
to  you,  in  the  gift  of  Jesus.  O  how  will  this  rekin- 
dle the  flame  that  is  ready  to  die  in  your  bosom ! 
how  it  will  draw  you  up  in  a  holy  and  unreserved 
surrender  of  body,  soul,  and  spirit !  Forget  not, 
then,  to  deal  much  with  Jesus.  Whenever  thou  de- 
tectest  a  waning  of  love,  a  reluctance  to  take  up  the 
daily  cross,  a  shrinking  from  the  precept,  go  imme- 
diately to  Calvary  ;  go  simply  and  directly  to  Jesus; 
get  thy  heart  warmed  with  ardent  love  by  contem- 
plating him  upon  the  cross,  and  soon  will  the  frosts 
tliat  gather  round  it  melt  away,  the  congealed  cur- 
rent shall  begin  to  flow,  and  the  "  chariots  of  Am- 
minadib"  shall  bear  thy  soul  away  to  commune  and 
fellowship  with  God. 

Do  not  fail  to  honor  the  Holy  iSpirit  in  this 
great  work  of  revival.  The  work  is  all  his  ;  be- 
ware of  taking  it  out  of  his  hands.  The  means  we 
have  suggested  for  the  revival  of  this  waning  grace 
of  love,  can  only  be  rendered  effectual  as  the  Spirit 
worketh  in  you,  and  worketh  with  you.  Pray  much 
for  his  anointings  ;  go  to  him  as  the  Glorifier  of 
Christ,  as  the  Comforter,  the  Sealer,  the  Witness,  the 
Earnest  of  his  people  :  it  is  he  that  will  apply  the 
atoning  blood, — it  is  he  that  will  revive  thy  drooping 
graces, — it  is  he  that  will  fan  to  a  flame  thy  waning 
love,  by  unfolding  the  cross,  and  directing  your  heart 
into  the  love  of  God.     Take  not  your  eye  off  the 


DECLENSION    IN    LOVE.  77 

love  of  the  Spirit ;  his  love  is  equal  with  the  Father's 
and  the  Son's  love.  Honor  him  in  his  love,  let  it 
encourage  thee  to  draw  largely  from  his  influences, 
and  to  be  '  filled  with  the  Spirit.' 

Lastly  :  remember  that  though  your  love  has 
waxed  cold,  the  love  of  thy  God  and  Father  to- 
wards thee  has  undergone  no  diminution  :  not  the 
shadow  of  a  change  has  it  known.  Although  he 
has  hated  thy  declension,  has  rebuked  thy  wander- 
ing, yet  his  love  he  has  not  withdrawn  from  thee. 
What  an  encouragement  to  return  to  him  again  ! 
Not  one  moment  has  God  turned  his  back  upon 
thee,  though  thou  hast  turned  thy  back  upon  him 
times  without  number :  his  face  has  always  been 
towards  thee  ;  and  it  would  have  shone  upon  thee 
with  all  its  melting  power,  but  for  the  clouds  which 
thine  own  waywardness  and  sinfulness  have  caused 
to  obscure  and  hide  from  thee  its  blessed  light.  Re- 
trace thy  steps  and  return  again  to  God.  Though 
thou  hast  been  a  poor  wanderer  and  hast  left  thy 
first  love, — though  thy  affections  have  strayed  from 
the  Lord,  and  thy  heart  has  gone  after  other  lovers, 
still  God  is  gracious  and  ready  to  pardon  ;  he  will 
welcome  thee  back  again  for  the  sake  of  Jesus,  his 
beloved  Son  in  whom  he  is  well  pleased,  for  this  is 
his  own  blessed  declaration, — "  If  his  children  for- 
sake my  law,  and  walk  not  in  my  judgments ;  if 
they  break  my  statutes,  and  keep  not  my  command- 
ments ;  then  will  I  visit  their  transgressions  with  a 
rod,  and  their  iniquity  with  stripes.  Nevertheless  my 
loving  kindness  will  I  not  utterly  take  from  him,  nor 
sufTer  my  faithfulness  to  fail."     Ps.  Ixxxix.  30 — 33. 


CHAPTER  III. 

DECLENSION      IN      FAITH. 

"  Lord,  increase  our  faith."— Luke  xtu.  5- 

Each  grace  of  the  Spirit  must  be  considered  by 
the  believer  as  forming  an  essential  element  of  his 
Christian  character,  and  as  such,  inconceivably 
costly  and  precious.  He  may  not  be  sensible  of  pos- 
sessing them  all  in  the  same  degree :  for  as  we  only 
know  the  extent  of  our  mental  or  physical  powers, 
as  circumstances  develope  them,  so  a  believer  knows 
not  what  graces  of  the  Spirit  he  may  possess,  until 
the  dealings  of  a  covenant  God  call  them  into  holy 
and  active  exercise.  Thus  do  infinite  wisdom  and 
goodness  unfold  themselves  in  all  the  transactions 
of  God  with  his  people.  Not  arbitrarily,  nor  wan- 
tonly, nor  unnecessarily,  does  the  heavenly  Father 
deal  with  his  child  ; — every  stroke  of  the  rod  is  but 
the  muffled  voice  of  love  ;  every  billow  bears  on  its 
bosom,  and  every  tempest  on  its  wing,  some  new 
and  lich  blessing  from  the  better  land.  O  that  we 
should  ever  breathe  a  sigh,  or  utter  a  murmur  at 
God's  covenant  dealings,  or  for  one  moment  mis- 
take their  holy  and  wise  design  and  tendency  ! 

If,  then,  every  grace  of  the  Spirit  be  thus  indis- 
pensable and  costly,  the  declension  and  decay  of  that 
grace  in  the  believer  must  attract  the  especial  notice 


DECLENSION    IN    FAITH.  79 

of  God,  and  involve  solemn  and  serious  consequen- 
ces. Any  part  of  God's  great  and  gracious  work 
of  grace  in  the  soul  that  is  suflTered  to  decay,  seems 
like  a  rellection  upon  God  himself;  there  is  a  dis- 
honoring of  him  in  it  to  a  degree  of  which  the  he- 
liever  is  but  little  aware.  What,  next  to  his  Son,  is 
most  glorious,  and  costly,  and  precious  in  God's 
sight?  Is  it  the  world  .^ — nay,  he  sees  no  glory  in 
that.  Is  it  the  heavens  ? — nay,  they  are  not  clean 
in  his  sight,  and  he  charge th  his  angels  with  folly : 
what  is  it,  then  ? — it  is  his  kingdom  in  his  saints, 
his  renewing,  adopting,  sanctifying  grace  in  his  peo- 
ple. Next  to  his  Son,  nothing  is  so  glorious  and 
costly ;  he  sees  compared  with  this  no  real  beauty 
in  aught  besides;  here  his  profoundest  thoughts 
dwell,  here  his  fondest  love  rests ;  to  commence,  carry 
forward,  and  perfect  this,  all  his  arrangements  in  the 
vast  provinces  of  nature,  providence,  and  grace,  are 
rendered  subservient.  Let  us  imagine,  then,  what 
must  be  the  mind  of  God  in  view  of  a  decaying,  de- 
clining state  of  grace  in  the  soul,  and  w^iat  the  pe- 
culiar method  which  he  adopts  to  resuscitate  and 
recover  it.  Having  considered  personal  declension 
in  two  of  its  stages,  we  have  arrived  at  another 
equally  solemn  and  important, — the  declension  of  the 
grace  of  faith.  We  shall  adopt  the  same  plan  in 
discussing  it ;  and  proceed,  in  the  outset,  to  unfold 
the  scriptural  nature  and  properties  of  this  Christian 
grace. 

Few  subjects  within  the  vast  range  of  Christian 
theology  have  been  more  frequently  discussed,  and 
yet,   perhaps,  so  httle  understood,  as  that  of  faith. 


80  DECLENSION    IN    FAITH. 

Nor  is  it  to  be  wondered  at,  that  men  who  approacli 
its  investigation  without  strict  regard  to  the  simple 
teaching  of  God's  word,  and  entire  dependence  upon 
the  illumination  of  the  Spirit,  should  find  difficulty 
and  even  obscurity  investing  a  subject  so  purely 
spiritual.  Nor  is  Satan  slothful  in  his  attempts  to 
obscure  the  minds  of  men  in  their  researches  into 
this  great  subject.  Faith  is  that  grace  against  which 
the  attacks  of  Satan  are  more  directly  and  constantly 
directed  than  almost  any  other.  Not  ignorant  of  its 
spiritual  nature  and  essential  importance  ;  and  know- 
ing the  great  glory  its  exercise  brings  to  God,  this 
subtle  and  sleepless  foe  of  the  believer  employs  every 
art  to  mystify  its  simplicity,  and  neutralise  its  efforts. 
It  is  not  surprising,  then,  that  opinions  upon  a  sub- 
ject so  important  should  often  be  conflicting,  and 
that  views  of  its  nature  should  often  be  obscure. 

And  yet  scriptural  and  spiritual  views  of  faith 
form  the  very  basis  of  experimental  godliness.  Faith, 
being  the  starting  point  of  experimental  religion,  an 
error  here  must  prove  fatal  to  every  succeeding  step. 
It  is  of  no  real  moment  how  beautiful  that  religious 
structure  is,  or  how  perfect  its  symmetry,  and  mag- 
nificent its  archings,  and  lofty  its  turrets,  if  it  is 
based  upon  an  utisound  faith.  No  system  of  reli- 
gion, no  doctrinal  creed,  no  profession  of  Christianity, 
if  it  cannot  bear  the  test  of  God's  word,  and  is  not 
found  to  answer  that  test,  is  of  any  real  value.  All 
mere  religion  of  the  intellect,  and  of  the  imagina- 
tion, and  of  taste, — and  these  only  are  popular  with 
the  world — resting  upon  an  unscriptural  and  defect- 
ive faith,  are  but  splendid  chimeras  ;  they  disappoint 


DECLENSION    IN    FAITH.  SI 

in  periods  of  sorrow,  they  deceive  in  the  hour  of 
death,  and  they  involve  the  soul  in  interminable 
woe  in  the  world  to  come.  It  is,  then,  of  the  most 
solemn  moment,  that,  in  professing  religion,  a  man 
should  see  that  he  starts  with  true  faith.  If  a  mer- 
chant in  balancing  his  books,  commences  with  an 
error  in  his  calculations,  is  it  surprising  that  that 
error  should  extend  throughout  his  account,  and 
bring  him  to  a  wrong  conclusion  ?  Or,  if  a  travel- 
ler journeying  towards  his  home,  selects  from  the 
many  roads  that  branch  out  before  him,  a  wrong 
one,  would  it  be  any  marvel  if  he  should  never  ar- 
rive at  it  ?  Apply  these  simple  illustrations  to  the 
subject  before  us.  Man  has  a  long  and  solemn  ac- 
count to  settle  with  God  ;  he  is  a  debtor  to  a  large 
amount ;  he  owes  God  a  perfect  obedience  to  his 
law,  and  has  "  nothing  to  pay."  Yet  another  char- 
acter :  he  is  a  traveller  to  eternity,  and  every  step  is 
conducting  him  towards  the  close  of  a  brief  but  re- 
sponsible probation.  Now,  if,  in  his  religion  he 
commences  with  unsound,  unwarrantable,  iinscrip- 
tural  views  of  any  essential  doctrine  of  salvation, 
the  error  with  which  he  commenced  must  affect  his 
entire  religion  ;  and  unless  his  steps  are  retraced, 
and  the  error  discovered  and  corrected,  the  end  must 
prove  fatal  to  his  eternal  happiness.  He  who  pens 
this  page  feels  it  of  the  most  solemn  importance, 
that  this  chapter  should  present  a  scriptural  view 
of  the  nature,  properties,  and  tendency  of  this  essen- 
tial part  of  the  great  plan  of  salvation.  May  the 
Spirit  now  be  our  teacher,  and  the  word  of  God 
our  text-book ! 


82  DECLENSION    IN    FAITH. 

It  may  be  proper  to  state,  that  the  authors  of  sys- 
tems of  divinity  have  generally  classified  the  subject 
of  faith.  They  speak  of  speculative  faith, — of  his- 
torical faith, — practical  faith, — saving  faith, — reahs- 
ing  faith.  But  as  these  distinctions  serve  only  to 
mystify  the  subject  and  perplex  the  mind,  and  fre- 
quently lead  to  great  errors,  we  set  them  aside,  pre- 
ferring and  adopting  the  simple  nomenclature  of  the 
inspired  word,  which  can  never  perplex  or  mislead 
the  humble  disciple  of  Jesus. 

The  Holy  Ghost  speaks  of  but  "  one  faith,"  Eph. 
iv.  5,  and  that  faith  the  "  faith  of  God's  elect."  Tit. 
i.  1.  And  still  the  question  recurs,  What  is  faith? 
Briefly  and  simply,  it  is  that  act  of  the  understand- 
ing and  the  heart  by  which  a  repenting  sinner- — a 
sinner  under  the  mighty  operation  of  the  Eternal 
Spirit,  convincing  him  of  sin,  and  working  in  him 
true  contrition  — closes  in  with  God's  free  proclama- 
tion of  pardon  through  a  crucified  Saviour :  he  be- 
lieves, he  receives,  he  welcomes  the  promise  of  eter- 
nal life  through  the  Lord  .Tesus  Christ,  and  thus 
"  sets  to  his  seal  that  God  is  true."  We  speak  of  the 
understanding  as  included  in  tliis  act  because  the 
advocates  of  evangelical  truth  have  been  accused  of 
advancing  doctrines  which  render  nugatory  all  men- 
tal operation,  and  which  make  religion  to  consist  in 
mere  feeling.  This  witness  is  not  true.  We  main- 
tain that  every  faculty  of  the  human  mind  is  brought 
out  in  its  full  power,  in  the  great  work  of  heart-re- 
ligion ;  that  the  Holy  Spirit,  working  repentance  and 
faith  in  a  man,  does  more  to  develope  the  intellectual 
faculties,  than  all  human  teachintr  beside.     Have  we 


DECLENSION    IN    FAITH.  83 

not  seen  individuals,  who,  before  conversion,  gave  no 
evidence  of  any  than  the  most  ordinary  powers  of 
mind,  become,  through  the  illumination  of  the  Spirit 
by  the  revealed  word,  strong  and  commanding  in  in- 
tellect !  Powers  of  reasoning,  hitherto  hidden,  were 
developed  ;  and  fountains  of  thought,  hitherto  sealed 
up,  were  opened  ;  old  things  passed  away,  and  all 
things  became  new.  We  repeat,  then,  it  is  the  ten- 
dency of  true  religion  to  develope  and  strengthen  the 
human  intellect,  and  to  give  intensity  and  acuteness 
to  all  its  faculties.  No  mind  is  so  powerful  as  a  re- 
neiced  and  sanctified  mind. 

Faith,  then,  has  to  do  with  the  understanding 
and  the  heart.  A  man  must  knoiv  his  lost  and 
ruined  condition  before  he  will  accept  of  Christ ;  and 
how  can  he  know  this,  without  a  spiritually-enlight- 
ened mind  ?  What  a  surprising  change  now  passes 
over  the  man  !  He  is  brought,  by  the  mighty  power 
of  the  Holy  Ghost,  to  a  knowledge  of  himself ;  one 
beam  of  light,  one  touch  of  the  Spirit,  has  altered  all 
his  views  of  himself,  has  placed  him  in  a  new  aspect ; 
all  his  thoughts,  his  affections,  his  desires,  are  diverted 
into  another  and  an  opposite  channel ;  his  fond  views 
of  his  own  righteousness  have  fled  like  a  dream ;  his 
high  thoughts  are  humbled,  his  lofty  looks  are 
brought  low,  and,  as  a  broken-hearted  sinner,  he  takes 
his  place  in  the  dust  before  God.  O  wondrous,  O 
blessed  change  !  to  see  the  Pharisee  take  the  place, 
and  to  hear  him  utter  the  cry  of  the  Publican, — 
"  God  be  merciful  to  me  a  sinner  !" — to  hear  him  ex- 
claim, "  I  am  lost,  self-ruined,  deserving  eternal 
wrath  ;  and   of  sinners,  the  vilest  and   the  chief !" 


84  DECLENSION    IN    FAITH. 

And  now  the  work  and  exercise  of  faith  commences ; 
the  same  blessed  Spirit  that  convinced  of  sin,  presents 
to  the  soul  a  Saviour  crucified  for  the  lost, — unfolds  a 
salvation  full  and  free  for  the  most  worthless, — re- 
veals a  fountain  that  "  cleanses  from  all  sin,"  and 
holds  up  to  view  a  righteousness  that  ''justifies  from 
all  things."  And  all  that  he  sets  the  poor  convinced 
sinner  upon  doing  to  avail  himself  of  this,  is  simply 
to  believe.  To  the  momentous  question,  "  What 
shall  I  do  to  be  saved  ?"  this  is  the  only  reply, — "  Be- 
lieve in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  thou  shalt  be 
saved."  The  anxious  soul  eagerly  exclaims, — "  Have 
I  then  nothing  to  do  but  to  believe? — have  I  no 
great  work  to  accomplish  ? — no  price  to  bring,  no 
worthiness  to  plead  ? — may  1  come  just  as  I  am, 
without  merit,  without  self-preparation,  without 
money,  with  all  my  vileness  and  nothingness  ?"  Still 
the  reply  is,  "  Only  believe :"  "  Then,  Lord,  I  do  be- 
lieve," exclaims  the  soul  in  a  transport  of  joy,  "help 
thou  my  unbelief !"  This,  reader,  is  faith  ;  faith, 
that  wondrous  grace,  that  mighty  act  of  which  you 
have  heard  so  much,  upon  which  so  many  volumes 
have  been  written,  and  so  many  sermons  have  been 
preached  ;  it  is  the  simple  rolling  of  a  wounded, 
bleeding  heart,  upon  a  wounded,  bleeding  Saviour ; 
it  is  the  simple  reception  of  the  amazing  truth,  that 
Jesus  died  for  the  ungodly — died  for  sinners — died 
for  the  poor,  the  vile,  the  bankntpt  ;  that  he  invites 
and  welcomes  to  his  bosom  all  poor,  convinced,  heavy- 
laden  simiers.  The  heart,  believing  this  wondrous 
announcement,  going  out  of  all  other  dependences, 
and  resting  only  in  this, — receiving  it,  welcoming  it, 


DECLENSION    IN    FAITH,  85 

rejoicing  in  it,  in  a  moment,  all,  all  is  peace.  Forget 
not  then,  reader,  the  simple  definition  of  faith, — it  is 
but  to  believe  with  all  the  heart  that  Jesus  died  for 
sinners  ;  and  the  full  belief  of  this  one  fact  will  bring 
peace  to  the  most  anxious  and  sin-troubled  soul. 

"  Having  begun  in  the  Spirit,"  the  believer  is  not 
to  be  "  made  perfect  in  the  flesh  ;"  having  com- 
menced his  Divine  life  in  faith,  in  faith  he  is  to  walk 
every  step  of  his  journey  homewards.  The  entire 
spiritual  life  of  a  child  of  God  is  a  life  of  faith,— God 
has  so  ordained  it ;  and  to  bring  him  into  the  full 
and  blessed  experience  of  it,  is  the  end  of  all  his  pa- 
rental dealings  with  him.  The  moment  a  poor  sin- 
ner has  touched  the  hem  of  Christ's  garment,  feeble 
though  this  act  of  faith  be.  it  is  yet  the  commence- 
ment of  this  high  and  holy  life ;  even  from  that 
moment,  the  believing  soul  professes  to  have  done 
with  a  life  of  sense — with  second  causes,  and  to  have 
entered  upon  a  glorious  life  of  faith  on  Christ.  It  is 
no  forced  application  to  him  of  the  apostle's  declara- 
tion ;  "  I  am  crucified  with  Christ ;  nevertheless  I 
live,  yet  not  I,  but  Christ  liveth  in  me ;  and  the  life 
which  I  noio  live  in  the  flesh,  I  live  by  the  faith  of 
the  Son  of  God."  Let  us  briefly  unfold  some  pecu- 
liar points  of  blessedness  in  this  life. 

There  is  its  security  :  a  believer  stands  by  faith, 
— "  Thou  standest  by  faith."  Rom.  xi.  20.  Why  is 
it  that  thou  hast  been  kept  to  the  present  moment? 
Thou  hast  seen  many  a  tall  cedar  bowed  to  the 
earth  ;  many  who  did  appear  to  '  run  well,'  but 
who,  in  the  hour  of  temptation,  when  worldly  power 
and   wealth,  and  distinction  increased,  made  ship- 


86  DECLENSION    IN    FAITH. 

wreck  of  their  fancied  faith,  and  fell  into  divers  lusts 
and  snares  which  drowned  their  souls.  Why  hast 
thou  been  kept?  thy  vessel  weathering  the  storm, 
thy  feet  yet  upon  the  rock  ?  Because  '  thou  stand- 
est  by  faith,' — the  '  faith  of  God's  elect,'  has  kept 
thee  ;  and  though  thou  art  deeply  conscious  of  many 
and  great  departures, — sins,  it  may  be,  which  if 
known  to  an  ungodly,  ignorant  world,  would  bring 
upon  thee  the  laugh  of  scorn, — yet  thou  hast  never 
been  left  quite  to  unhinge  thy  soul  from  Jesus  ;  thou 
hast  discovered  thy  sins,  and  mourned  over,  and  con- 
fessed them,  and  sought  their  forgiveness  through  a 
fresh  application  of  the  atoning  blood, — and  still, 
'  thou  standest  by  faith.'  Ah  !  if  faith  had  not  kept 
thee  where  wouldst  thou  now  have  been  ?  where 
would  that  temptation  have  driven  thee?  into  what 
consequences  would  that  sin  have  involved  thee  ? 
But  O,  that  brokenness,  that  contrition,  that  mourn- 
ing, that  going  afresh  to  the  open  fountain,  doth 
prove  that  there  was  that  in  thee  which  would  not 
let  thee  quite  depart.  The  cedar  may  have  been 
bowed  to  the  earth,  but  it  has  risen  again  ;  the  vessel 
may  have  been  tossed  in  the  tempest,  and  even  may 
have  been  worsted  by  the  storm,  yet  it  hath  found 
its  port :  the  '  faith  of  God's  elect'  has  kept  thee.  "  Be 
not  high-minded,  but  fear,"  Thine  own  vigilance,  and 
power,  and  wisdom,  had  been  but  poor  safeguards, 
but  for  the  indwelling  of  that  faith  that  can  never  die. 
There  is,  too,  the  peculiar  blessedness  of  the  life  of 
faith  :  "  We  walk  by  faith,  not  by  sight."  2  Cor.  v.  7. 
This  walk  of  faith  takes  in  all  the  minute  circum- 
stances of  every  day's  history  ;  a  walking  every  step 


DECLENSION    IN    FAITH.  87 

by  faith  ;  a  looking  above  trials,  above  necessities 
above  perplexities  above  improbabilities  and  impos- 
sibilities, above  all  second  causes  ;  and  in  the  face  of 
difficulties  and  discouragements,  going  forward  lean- 
ing upon  God.  If  the  Lord  were  to  roll  the  Red  Sea  be- 
fore us,  and  marshal  the  Egyptians  behind  us,  and 
thus,  hemming  us  in  on  every  side,  should  yet  bid 
us  advance,  it  would  be  the  duty  and  the  privilege 
of  foith  instantly  to  obey, — believing,  that,  ere  our 
feet  touched  the  water,  God  in  our  extremity,  would 
divide  the  sea,  and  take  us  dry-shod  over  it.  This 
is  the  only  holy  and  happy  life  of  a  believer ;  if  he 
for  a  moment  leaves  (his  path,  and  attempts  to  walk 
by  sight,  difficulties  will  throng  around  him,  troubles 
will  multiply,  the  smallest  trials  will  become  heavy 
crosses,  temptations  to  depart  from  the  simple  and  up- 
right walk  will  increase  in  number  and  power,  the 
heart  will  sicken  at  disappointment,  the  Spirit  will 
be  grieved,  and  God  will  be  dishonored.  Let  this 
precious  truth  ever  be  before  the  mind, — "  We  walk 
by  faith,  not  by  sight." 

Faith  is  an  essential  part  of  the  spiritual 
armor  :  "  Above  all,  taking  the  shield  of  faith, 
wherewith  ye  shall  be  able  to  quench  the  fiery  darts 
of  the  wicked."  Eph.  vi.  16.  Faith  is  also  spoken 
of  as  the  believer's  breast-plate  :  "But  let  us,  who 
are  of  tlie  day,  be  sober,  putting  on  the  breast-plate 
of  faith.^'  1  Thess.  v.  8.  There  is  not  a  moment, 
even  the  holiest,  but  we  are  exposed  to  the  '  fiery 
darts'  of  the  adversary.  The  onset,  too,  is  often  at  a 
moment  when  we  least  suspect  its  approach  ;  sea- 
sons of  peculiar  nearness  to  God,  of  Iiallowed  enjoy- 


88  DECLENSION    IN    FAITH. 

ment, — "  for  we  wrestle  not  against  flesh  and  blood, 
but  against  principalities,  against  powers,  against  the 
rulers  of  the  darkness  of  this  world,  against  spiritual 
wickedness  in  high  places,"  [marg.  "  heav^enly 
places,") — are  frequently  selected  as  the  occasion  of 
attack.  But,  clad  in  this  armor, — the  shield  and 
the  breast-plate  of  faith, — no  weapon  formed  against 
us  shall  prosper  ;  the  '  fiery  dart'  shall  be  quenched, 
and  the  enemy  shall  be  put  to  flight.  Faith  in  a 
crucified,  risen,  conquering,  exalted  Saviour, — faith 
in  a  present  and  ever-living  Head, — faith  eyeing 
future  glory,  the  crown  glittering,  and  the  palm 
waving  in  its  view,  is  the  faith  that  overcomes  and 
triumphs.  Faith  dealing  constantly  and  simply  with 
Jesus, — flying  to  his  atoning  blood,  drawing  from 
his  fulness,  and  at  all  times  and  under  all  circum- 
stances looking  unto  him,  will  ever  bring  a  conflict- 
ing soul  off  more  than  conqueror  :  "  This  is  the  vic- 
tory that  overcometh  the  world,  even  our  faith. 
Who  is  he  that  overcometh  the  world,  but  he  that 
believeth  that  Jesus  is  the  Son  of  God  ?" 

Faith  is  a  purifying  grace  :  "  Purifying  their 
hearts  by  faith,"  Acts  xv.  9  ;  "  Sanctified  by  faith 
that  is  in  me,"  Acts  xxvi.  18.  It  is  a  principle  holy 
in  its  nature  and  tendency  ;  he  is  most  holy  who 
has  most  faith  ;  he  who  has  least  faith  is  most  ex- 
posed to  the  assaults  of  his  inbred  corruptions.  If 
there  is  in  any  child  of  God  a  desire  for  Divine  con- 
formity, for  more  of  the  spirit  of  Christ,  more  wean- 
edness,  and  crucifixion,  and  daily  dying,  this  should 
be  his  ceaseless  prayer, — "  Lord,  increase  my  faith." 
Faith  in  Jesus  checks  the  power  of  sin,  slays  the 


DECLENSION    IN     FAITH.  89 

hidden  corruption,  and  enables  tlie  believer  to  "  en- 
dure as  seeing  him  who  is  invisible." 

This,  too,  is  the  grace  that  smooths  the  rugged 
way,  lightens  the  daily  burden.  "  glorifies  God  in  the 
fire;"  is  "the  substance  of  things  hoped  for,  the 
evidence  of  things  not  seen ;"  rests  upon  God's 
word  because  he  has  said  it:  and  keeps  the  soul, 
through  all  its  conflicts  and  trials,  safe  unto  eternal 
glory  :  "  Kept  by  the  power  of  God,  through  faith^ 
unto  salvation."  But  we  have  mainly  to  do  with 
the  declension  of  this  precious  grace. 

We  have  already  remarked,  that  there  is  nothing 
essentially  omnipotent  in  any  single  grace  of  the 
Spirit ;  to  suppose  this,  would  be  to  deify  that  grace  : 
that,  although  regeneration  is  a  spiritual  work,  and 
all  the  graces  implanted  in  the  soul  are  the  product 
of  the  Spirit,  and  must  necessarily  be  in  their 
nature  spiritual  and  indestructible,  yet  they  may  so 
decline  in  their  power,  become  so  enfeebled  and 
impaired  in  their  vigor  and  tendency,  as  to  be 
classed  among  the  '  things  that  are  ready  to  die.' 
It  is  pre-eminently  so  with  faith ;  perhaps  there  is 
no  part  of  the  Spirit's  work  more  constantly  and 
severely  assailed,  and  consequently  more  exposed 
to  declension,  than  this.  Shall  we  look  at  the 
examples  in  God's  word?  We  cite  the  case  of 
Abraham,  the  father  of  the  faithful ;  beholding  him, 
at  God's  command,  binding  his  son  upon  the  altar, 
and  raising  the  knife  for  the  sacrifice,  we  unhesitat- 
ingly exclaim, — '  Surely  never  was  faith  like  this  ! 
Here  is  faith  of  a  giant  character;  faith,  whose 
sinews   no   trial   can   ever   relax,  whose  lustre   no 


yO  DECLENSION    IN    FAITH. 

temptation  can  ever  dim.'  And  yet,  tracing  the 
history  of  the  patriarch  still  further,  we  find  that 
very  giant  faith  now  trembling,  and  yielding  under 
a  trial  far  less  acute  and  severe ;  he,  who  could 
surrender  the  life  of  his  promised  son — that  son, 
through  whose  lineal  descent  Jesus  was  to  come — 
into  the  hands  of  God,  could  not  entrust  that  same 
God  with  his  own.  We  look  at  Job  :  in  the  com- 
mencement of  his  deep  trial  we  find  him  justifying 
God ;  messenger  follows  messenger  with  tidings  of 
yet  deeper  woe,  but  not  a  murmur  is  breathed  ;  and 
as  the  cup,  now  full  to  the  brim,  is  placed  to  his  lips, 
how  sweetly  sounds  the  voice  of  holy  resignation, — 
'•  The  Lord  gave,  and  the  Lord  hath  taken  away ; 
blessed  be  the  name  of  the  Lord  ;"  "  In  all  this  did 
not  Job  sin  with  his  lips :"  and  yet  the  very  faith, 
which  thus  bowed  in  meekness  to  the  rod,  so  de- 
clined, as  to  lead  him  to  curse  the  day  of  his  birth  ! 
We  see  David,  whose  faith  could  at  one  time  lead 
liim  out  to  battle  with  Goliath,  now  fleeing  from  a 
shadow,  and  exclaiming, — "  I  shall  one  day  perish 
by  the  hand  of  Saul ! "  And  mark  how  the  energy 
oi  Peter'' s  faith  declined,  who  at  one  period  could 
walk  boldly  upon  the  tempestuous  sea,  and  yet  at 
another  could  deny  his  Lord,  panic-struck  at  the 
voice  of  a  little  maid.  Who  will  say  that  the  faith 
of  the  holiest  man  of  God  may  not  at  one  time 
greatly  and  sadly  decUne  ? 

But  we  need  not  travel  out  of  ourselves  for  the 
evidence  and  the  illustration  of  the  affecting  truth 
we  are  upon :  let  every  believer  turn  in  upon  him- 
self.    What,  reader,  is  the  real  state  of  your  faith  ? 


DECLENSION    IN    FAITH.  91 

is  it  Ev  Avcly,  vigorous,  and  active,  as  it  was  when 
you  first  believed  ?  Has  it  undergone  no  declension  ? 
Is  the  Object  of  faith  as  glorious  in  your  eye  as  he 
then  was?  Are  you  not  now  looking  at  second 
causes  in  God's  dealings  with  you,  instead  of  lifting 
thine  eye  and  fixing  it  on  him  alone?  What  is 
your  faith  in  prayer? — do  you  come  boldly  to  the 
throne  of  grace,  asking,  nothing  doubting?  Do  you 
take  all  your  trials,  your  wants,  your  infirmities,  to 
God  ?  What  is  your  realisation  of  eternal  things, — 
is  faith  here  in  constant,  holy  exercise  ?  Art  thou 
living  as  a  pilgrim  and  a  sojourner,  "choosing  rather 
to  sufler  affliction  with  the  people  of  God,"  than  float 
along  on  the  summer-sea  of  this  world's  enjoy- 
ments ?  W  hat  is  the  crucifying  power  of  your 
faith? — does  it  deaden  you  to  sin,  and  wean  you 
from  the  world,  and  constrain  you  to  walk  humbly 
wdth  God  and  near  to  Jesus  ?  And  when  the  Lord 
brings  the  cross,  and  says,  "  Bear  this  for  me," 
does  your  faith  promptly  and  cheerfully  acquiesce, 
"  any  cross,  any  suffering,  any  sacrifice  for  thee, 
dear  Lord  ? "  Thus  may  you  try  the  nature  and 
the  degree  of  your  faith  ;  bring  it  to  the  touch-stone 
of  God's  truth,  and  ascertain  what  its  character  is, 
and  how  far  it  has  suffered  declension.  Permit  us 
to  adduce  a  few  causes  to  which  a  feeble  and  de- 
clining faith  may  frequently  be  traced. 

When  a  helievefs  visits  to  his  closet  grow  less 
frequent  and  spiritual,  faith  will  assuredly  de- 
cline. Prayer  is  the  channel  that  supplies  faith 
with  its  nourishment  and  vigor.  As  well  might 
we  cut  off  all  the  rills  and  streams  which  flow  down 


sjt 


92  DECLENSION    IN    FAITH. 

the  mountain's  side,  and  expect  that  the  valleys  be- 
neath will  present  their  enamelled  and  verdant  aspect, 
as  to  close  up  the  channel  of  prayer,  and  then  look 
for  a  healthy,  vigorous,  and  growing  faith.  There 
is  a  beautiful  connexion  between  faith  and  prayer, — 
their  influence  is  reciprocal:  constant  and  ardent 
prayer  strengthens  faith,  and  faith,  brought  into 
exercise,  stimulates  to  prayer.  A  praying  man  will 
be  a  believing  man,  and  a  man  of  faith  will  be  a 
man  of  prayer.  Mary  Queen  of  Scotland  is  said  to 
have  expressed  a  greater  dread  of  the  prayers  of 
John  Knox  the  Reformer,  than  of  all  the  armies 
leagued  against  her.  But  v^hat  infused  such  power 
into  the  prayers  of  Knox,  rendering  them  '  terrible 
as  an  army  with  banners  V — it  was  his  mighty 
faith ;  and  his  mighty  faith  rendered  him  mighty  in 
prayer.  Here,  then,  we  have  one  cause,  and  a  most 
fruitful  one,  of  the  weak  and  powerless  faith  of  many 
professors  :  they  live  at  a  distance  from  God,  and 
the  consequence  is,  faith  receives  no  nourishment ; 
there  is  but  little  going  to  Jesus,  but  little  dealing 
with  his  blood,  but  little  drawing  from  his  fulness  ; 
forgetting  that,  as  he  is  the  Author,  so  he  is  the 
Sustainer  of  faith,  and  that  the  soul  only  lives,  as  it 
lives  "  by  the  faith  of  the  Son  of  God."  Keader,  is 
thy  faith  in  a  feeble,  sickly,  declining  state  ?  Look 
well  to  thy  closet :  see  if  thou  canst  not  trace  the 
cause  there.  What  is  thy  accustomed  habit  of 
prayer  ?  How  much  time  of  twelve  hours  is  spent 
with  God  ?  What !  do  thy  business,  thy  family,  thy 
worldly  engagements,  consume  all  thy  time  1  What ! 
but  little  time  for  pray  >  '^— but  few  stolen  moments 


DECLENSION    IN    FAITH.  93 

for  God? — no  hours  redeemed  from  secular  pursuits, 
and  devoted  to  holy  communion  and  filial  fellowship 
with  thy  Father  in  secret?  Is  it  well-nigh  all  con- 
sumed upon  thyself,  in  worldly  care,  confusion,  and 
excitement?  Wonder  not  that  thy  faith  is  feeble, 
drooping,  and  ready  to  die:  the  greatest  wonder  is, 
that  thou  art  not  quite  dead ;  that  the  feeble,  flicker- 
ing spark  is  not  entirely  extinguished.  Rouse  thee 
from  thy  fearful  slumber !  Thy  situation,  drowsy 
professor,  is  perilous  in  the  extreme  ;  thou  art  sleep- 
ing on  enchanted  groimd  ;  thy  shield  and  thy  breast- 
plate lying  unbuckled  at  thy  side,  and  all  thine 
enemies  gathering  in  fearful  numbers  around  thee  ! — 
a  return  to  prayer  is  thine  only  safety. 

Dealing  much  ivitli  a  life  of  sense,  is  a  most 
influential  cause  of  declension  in  faith.  If  we  de- 
sire to  see  our  way  every  step  of  our  homeward  path, 
we  must  abandon  the  more  difficult,  though  more 
blessed  ascent  of  faith ;  it  is  impossible  to  walk  by 
sight  and  by  faith  at  the  same  time  ;  the  two  paths 
run  in  opposite  directions.  If  the  Lord  were  to  re- 
veal the  why  and  the  wherefore  of  all  his  dealings, — 
if  we  were  only  to  advance  as  we  saw  the  spot  on 
which  we  were  to  place  our  foot,  or  only  to  go  out, 
as  we  knew  the  place  whither  we  were  going,  it 
then  were  no  longer  a  life  of  faith  that  we  lived,  but 
of  sight.  We  should  have  exchanged  the  life  which 
glorifies,  for  the  life  which  dishonors  God.  When 
God,  about  to  deliver  the  Israelites  from  the  power 
of  Pharaoh,  commanded  them  to  advance,  it  was 
before  he  revealed  the  way  by  which  he  was  about 
to  rescue  them.     The  Red  Sea  rolled  its  deep  and 


94  DECLENSION    IN  ^AITH. 

frowning  waves  at  their  feet ;  they  saw  not  a  spot 
of  dry  ground  on  whicii  they  could  tread ;  and  yet, 
this  Avas  the  command  to  Moses, — "  Speak  unto  the 
children  of  Israel  that  they  go  forwardP  They 
were  to  "  walk  by  faith,  not  by  sight."  It  had  been 
no  exercise  of  faith  in  God,  no  confidence  in  his 
promise,  no  resting  in  his  faithfulness,  and  no  '  mag- 
nifying of  his  word  above  all  his  name,'  had  they 
halted  until  the  waters  clave  asunder,  and  a  dry 
passage  opened  to  their  view.  But,  like  the  patri- 
archs, they  "  staggered  not  at  the  promise  of  God 
through  unbelief;  but  were  strong  in  faith,  giving 
glory  to  God."  Have  little  to  do  with  sense  if  thou 
wouldst  have  much  to  do  with  faith.  Expect  not 
always  to  see  the  way.  God  may  call  you  to  go 
out  into  a  place,  not  making  known  to  you  whither 
you  go;  but  it  is  your  duty,  like  Abraham,  to  obey. 
All  that  you  ever  have  to  do  is  to  go  forward,  leaving 
all  consequences  and  results  to  God :  it  is  enough 
for  you  that  the  Lord  by  his  providence  says,  "  Go 
forward  !"  This  is  all  you  may  hear ;  it  is  your 
duty  instantly  to  respond,  "Lord,  I  go  at  thy  bid- 
ding; bid  me  come  to  thee,  though  it  be  upon  the 
stormy  water." 

Faith  unexercised  in  dark  and  afflictive  provi- 
dences, leads  greatly  to  its  declension.  The  exer- 
cise of  faith  strengthens,  as  the  neglect  to  exercise 
weakens  it.  It  is  the  constant  play  of  the  arm  that 
brings  out  its  muscular  power  in  all  its  fulness  ; 
were  that  arm  allowed  to  hang  by  our  side,  still  and 
motionless,  how  soon  would  its  sinews  contract,  and 
its  energy  waste  away  !     So  it  is  with  faith,  the  right 


DECLENSION    IN    FAITH.  95 

arm  of  a  believer's  strength  ;  the  more  it  is  exercised, 
the  mightier  it  becomes  ;  neglect  to  use  it,  allow  it 
to  remain  inert  and  inoperative,  and  the  effect  will 
be,  a  withering  up  of  its  power.  Now  when  gloomy 
providences,  and  sharp  trials  and  temptations,  thicken 
around  a  poor  believing  soul,  then  is  it  the  time  for 
faith  to  put  on  its  strength,  and  come  forth  to  the 
battle.  God  never  places  his  child  in  any  difficulties, 
or  throws  upon  him  any  cross,  but  it  is  a  call  to  ex- 
ercise faith  ;  and  if  the  opportunity  of  its  exercise 
passes  away  without  improvement,  the  effect  will  be, 
a  weakening  of  the  principle,  and  a  feeble  putting 
forth  of  its  power  in  the  succeeding  trial.  Forget 
not,  that  the  more  faith  is  brought  into  play,  the 
more  it  increases ;  the  more  it  is  exercised,  the 
stronger  it  becomes  ;  the  reverse  of  this,  is  frequently 
the  cause  of  its  sad  declension. 

The  habitual,  or  even  the  occasion al,  doubtful 
apprehension  indulged  in  of  his  interest  in  Christ, 
will  tend  materially  to  the  enfeebling  and  decay  of 
a  believer's  faith  :  no  cause  can  be  more  certain  in 
its  effects  than  this.  If  it  be  true,  as  we  have  shown, 
that  the  exercise  of  faith  developes  its  strength,  it  is 
equally  true,  that  the  perpetual  indulgence  of  douljt- 
ful  apprehensions  of  pardon  and  acceptance,  must  ne- 
cessarily eat  as  a  cankerworm  at  the  root  of  faith. 
Every  misgiving  felt,  every  doubt  cherished,  every 
fear  yielded  to,  every  dark  providence  brooded  over, 
tends  to  unhinge  the  soul  from  God,  and  dims  its 
near  and  loving  view  of  Jesus.  To  doubt  the  love, 
the  wisdom,  and  the  faithfulness  of  God  ;  to  doubt 
the  perfection  of  the  work  of  Christ ;  to  doubt  the 


96  DECLENSION    IN    FAITH. 

operation  of  the  Spirit  on  the  heart, — what  can  tend 
more  to  the  weakening  and  decay  of  this  precious 
and  costly  grace  ?  Every  time  the  soul  sinks  under 
the  pressure  of  a  doubt  of  its  interest  in  Christ,  the 
effect  must  be,  a  weakening  of  the  soul's  view  of  the 
glory,  perfection,  and  all-sufficiency  of  Christ's  work. 
But  imperfectly  may  the  doubting  Christian  be 
aware  what  dishonor  is  done  to  Jesus,  what  reflection 
is  cast  upon  his  great  work,  by  every  unbeheving 
fear  he  cherishes.  It  is  a  secret  wounding  of  Jesus, 
however  the  soul  may  shrink  from  such  an  infer- 
ence ;  it  is  a  lowering,  an  undervaluing  of  Christ's 
obedience  and  death, — that  glorious  work  of  salva- 
tion with  which  the  Father  has  declared  himself 
well  pleased, — that  work  with  which  Divine  justice 
has  confessed  itself  satisfied, — that  work  on  the  basis 
of  which  every  poor,  convinced  sinner  is  saved,  and 
on  the  ground  of  which,  millions  of  redeemed  and 
glorified  spirits  are  now  bowing  around  the  throne, — 
that  work,  we  say,  is  dishonored,  undervalued,  and 
slighted  by  every  doubt  and  fear  secretly  harbored, 
or  openly  expressed  by  a  child  of  God.  The  moment 
a  believer  looks  at  his  unworthiness  more  than  at 
the  righteousness  of  Christ, — supposes  that  there  is 
not  a  sufficiency  of  merit  in  Jesus,  to  supply  the  ab- 
sence of  all  merit  in  himself  before  God,  what  is  it 
but  a  setting  up  his  sinfulness  and  unworthiness 
above  the  infinite  worth,  fulness,  and  sufficiency  of 
Christ's  atonement  and  righteousness  ?  There  is 
much  spurious  humility  among  many  of  the  dear 
saints  of  God.  It  is  thought  by  some^  that  to  be 
always  doubting  one's  pardon  and  acceptance,  is  the 


DECLENSION    IN    FAITH.  97 

evidence  of  a  lowly  spirit.  It  is,  allow  us  to  say, 
the  mark  of  the  very  opposite  of  a  lowly  and  humble 
mind.  That  is  true  humility  that  credits  the  tes- 
timony of  God, — that  believes  because  he  has  spo- 
ken it, — that  rests  in  the  blood,  and  righteousness, 
and  all-sufficiency  of  Jesus,  because  he  has  declared 
that  "^whosoever  believeth  in  him  shall  be  saved." 
This  is  genuine  lowliness.— the  blessed  product  of 
the  Eternal  Spirit.  To  go  to  Jesus  just  as  I  am,  a 
poor,  lost,  helpless  sinner, — to  go  without  previous 
preparation, — to  go  glorying  in  my  weakness,  in- 
firmity, and  poverty,  that  the  free  grace  and  sovereign 
pleasure,  and  infinite  merit  of  Christ,  may  be  seen 
in  my  full  pardon,  justification  and  eternal  glory. 
There  is  more  of  unmortified  pride,  of  self  righteous- 
ness, of  that  principle  that  would  make  God  a  debtor 
to  the  creature,  in  the  refusal  of  a  soul  fully  to  ac- 
cept of  Jesus,  than  is  suspected.  There  is  more  real, 
profound  humility  in  a  simple,  believing  venture  upon 
Christ,  as  a  ruined  sinner,  taking  him  as  all  its 
righteousness,  all  its  pardon,  all  its  glory,  than  it  is 
possible  for  any  mortal  mind  to  fathom.  Doubt  is 
ever  the  offspring  of  pride ;  humility  is  ever  the 
handmaid  of  faith. 

Nor  must  we  forbear  to  specify,  as  among  the 
most  fruitful  causes  of  a  declension  of  faith,  the 
'power  of  unsuhdued  sin  in  the  heart :  nothing  per- 
haps, more  secretly  and  effectually  militates  against 
the  vigor  of  a  life  of  faith  than  this.  Faith,  as  we 
have  seen,  is  a  holy,  indwelling  principle  ;  it  has  its 
root  in  the  renewed,  sanctified  heart ;  and  its  growth 
and  fruitfulness  depend  much  upon  the  progressive 
9 


98  DECLENSION    IN    FAITH. 

richness  of  the  soil  in  which  it  is  embedded  :  if  the 
noxious  weeds  of  the  natural  soil  are  allowed  to  grow 
and  occupy  the  heart,  and  gain  the  ascendency,  this 
celestial  plant  will  necessarily  droop  and  decay.  In 
order  to  form  some  conception  of  the  utter  incon- 
gruity of  a  life  of  faith  with  the  existence  and  power 
of  unmortified  sin  in  the  heart,  we  have  but  to  imag- 
ine the  case  of  a  believer  living  in  the  practice  of 
unsubdued  sin.  What  is  the  real  power  of  faith  in 
him  ?  where  is  its  strength  ?  where  are  its  glorious 
achievements  ?  where  the  trophies  it  has  won  in  the 
field  of  battle  ?  We  look  for  the  fruit  of  faith, — the 
lowly,  humble,  contrite  spirit — the  tender  conscience 
— the  travelling  daily  to  the  atoning  blood — the  liv- 
ing upon  the  grace  that  is  in  Christ  Jesus — the  car- 
rying out  of  Christian  principle — crucifixion  to  the 
world — patient  submission  to  a  life  of  suffering — 
meek  resignation  to  a  Father's  discipline— a  living 
as  beholding  Him  who  is  invisible — a  constant  and 
vivid  realization  of  eternal  realities, — we  look  for 
these  fruits  of  faith  ;  but  we  find  them  not.  And 
why  ?  because  there  is  the  worm  of  unmortified  sin 
feeding  at  the  root ;  and  until  that  is  slain,  faith 
will  always  be  sickly,  unfruitful,  and  '  ready  to  die.' 
"  Therefore,  brethren,  we  are  debtors,  not  to  the  flesh 
to  live  after  the  flesh.  For  if  ye  live  after  the  flesh, 
ye  shall  die  ;  but  if  ye  through  the  Spirit  do  mortify 
the  deeds  of  tlie  body,  ye  shall  live." 

A  looking  off  of  Christ  will  tend  greatly  to  the 
weakening  and  unfruitfulness  of  faith.  It  is  said, 
that  the  eagle's  eye  becomes  strong  through  the  early 
discipline  of  the  parent ;  placed  in  such  a  position 


DECLENSION    IN    FAITH.  99 

when  young,  as  to  fix  the  gaze  intently  upon  the 
sun,  the  power  of  vision  gradually  becomes  so  great, 
as  to  enable  it  in  time  to  look  at  its  meridian  splen- 
dor without  uneasiness,  and  to  descry  the  remotest 
object  without  difficulty.  The  same  spiritual  disci- 
pline strengthens  the  eye  of  faith  ;  the  eye  grows 
vigorous  by  looking  much  at  the  Sun  of  righteous- 
ness. The  more  constantly  it  gazes  upon  Jesus,  tiie 
stronger  it  grows ;  and  the  stronger  it  grows,  the 
more  glory  it  discovers  in  him,  the  more  beauty 
in  his  person,  and  perfection  in  his  work.  Thus 
strengthened,  it  can  see  things  that  are  afar  off, — 
the  promises  of  a  covenant-keeping  God,  the  hope  of 
eternal  life,  the  crown  of  glory — these  it  can  look 
upon  and  almost  touch  :  "  Faith  is  the  substni  -e  of 
things  hoped  for,  the  evidence  of  things  not  seen." 
And  of  the  Old  Testament  worthies  it  is  recorded 
by  the  same  Spirit :  "  These  all  died  in  faith,  not 
having  received  the  promises,  but  having  sbpm  them 
afar  off,  and  were  persuaded  of  them,  and  embraced 
them,  and  confessed  that  they  were  strangers  and 
pilgrims  on  the  earth."  O  precious,  costly  grace  of 
tlie  Eternal  Spirit!  who  would  not  possess  thee? 
who  would  not  mortify  everytiiing  that  would  wound, 
enfeeble,  and  cause  thee  to  decay  in  the  soul  ? 

It  only  remains  for  us  to  show,  in  wiiat  wa}^  the 
Holy  Spirit  revives,  strengthens,  and  increases  the 
declining  grace  of  faith.  And  this  he  does,  in  the 
first  place,  by  discovering  to  the  believer  the  cause 
of  its  declension,  and  setting  him  upofi,  and 
strengthening  him  in,  the  work  of  its  removal. 


100  DECLENSION    IN    FAITH. 

The  Spirit  leads  the  declining  believer  to  the  spirit- 
ual duty  of  self-examination. 

When  any  grace  of  the  Spirit  is  in  a  sickly  and 
declining  state,  an  effect  so  painful  must  originate  in 
a  cause  that  needs  to  be  searched  out :  the  great  dif- 
ficulty in  a  backsliding  soul,  is,  to  bring  it  to  the 
spiritual  and  needed  duty  of  self-scrutiny.  There 
is  something  so  humiliating,  so  foreign  to  the  natu- 
ral inchnation  of  the  heart,  and  withal,  to  which 
the  very  declension  of  the  soul  is  so  strongly  op- 
posed, that  it  requires  no  little  putting  forth  of  the 
Spirit's  grace,  to  bring  the  believer  honestly  and  fully 
into  it.  Just  as  the  merchant,  conscious  of  the  em- 
barrassed state  of  his  affairs,  shrinks  from  a  thor- 
ough investigation  of  his  books,  so  does  the  con- 
scious backslider  turn  from  the  honest  examination 
of  his  wandering  heart.  But  as  the  cure  of  any  dis- 
ease, or  the  correction  of  any  evil,  depends  upon  the 
knowledge  of  its  cause,  so  does  the  revival  of  a  de- 
clining believer  closely  connect  itself  with  the  dis- 
covery and  removal  of  that  which  led  to  his  declen- 
sion. Declining  believer  !  wliat  is  the  cause  of  thy 
weak  faith  ?  Why  is  this  lovely,  precious,  and  fruit- 
ful flower,  drooping,  and  ready  to  die?  What  has 
dimmed  the  eye,  and  paralysed  the  hand,  and  enfee- 
bled the  walk  of  faith  ?  Perhaps  it  is  the  neglect 
of  prayer  :  thou  hast  lived,  it  may  be  days,  and 
Aveeks,  and  months,  without  communion  with  God  ; 
there  have  been  no  constant  and  precious  visits  to 
thy  closet ;  no  wrestling  with  God  ;  no  fellowship 
with  thy  Father.  Marvel  not,  beloved,  that  thy 
faith  languisheth,  droopeth,  and  fadeth.    The  greater 


DECLENSION    IN     FAITH.  101 

marvel  is,  that  thou  hast  any  faith  at  all ;  that  it  is 
not  quite  dead,  plucked  up  by  tlie  root ;  and  but  for 
the  mighty  power  of  God,  and  the  constant  interces- 
sion of  Jesus  at  his  right  iiand,  it  would  long  since 
have  ceased  to  be.  But  what  will  revive  it? — An 
immediate  return  to  prayer  ;  revisit  thy  closet ;  re 
build  the  broken  altar  ;  rekindle  the  expiring  flame  ; 
seek  thy  forsaken  God.  O  how  can  faith  be  re- 
vived, and  how  can  it  grow,  in  the  neglect  of  daily, 
secret,  and  wrestling  prayer  with  God  ?  The  Eter- 
nal Spirit  laying  this  upon  thine  heart,  showing 
thee  thy  awful  neglect,  and  breathing  into  thee 
afresh  the  spirit  of  grace  and  supplication,  will  im- 
part a  new  and  blessed  impulse  to  faith. 

Perhaps  you  have  been  misinterpreting  the  Lord's 
providential  deahngs  with  you  ;  you  have  been  in- 
dulging in  unbelieving,  unkind,  unfihal  views  of  your 
trials,  bereavements,  and  disappointments:  you  have 
said,  "  Can  I  be  a  child,  yet  be  afflicted  thus  ?  can 
he  love  me,  yet  deal  with  me  so?"  O  that  thought ! 
O  that  surmise  !  Couldst  thou  have  looked  into  the 
heart  of  thy  God  when  he  sent  that  trial,  caused 
that  bereavement,  blew  upon  that  flower,  and  blasted 
that  fair  design,  thou  wouldst  never  have  murmured 
more :  so  much  love,  so  nuich  tenderness,  so  much 
faithfulness,  so  much  wisdom  wouldst  thou  have 
seen  as  to  have  laid  thy  mouth  silent  in  the  dust  be- 
fore him.  Wonder  not  that,  indulging  in  such  mis- 
givings, interpreting  the  covenant  dealings  of  a  God 
of  love  in  such  a  light,  thy  faith  has  received  a 
wound.  Nothing  perhaps  more  tends  to  unhinge 
the  soul  from  God,  engender  distrust,  hard  thoughts, 
9* 


102  DECLENSION    IN    FAITH. 

and  rebellious  feelings,  than  thus  to  doubt  his  lov- 
ing-kindness and  faithfulness  in  the  discipline  he  is 
pleased  to  send.  But  faith,  looking  through  the 
dark  cloud,  rising  on  the  mountain  wave,  and  an- 
choring itself  on  the  Divine  veracity,  and  the  un- 
changeable love  of  God,  is  sure  to  strengthen  and  in- 
crease by  every  storm  that  beats  upon  it. 

Is  it  the  enchantment  of  the  world  that  has  seized 
upon  thy  faith?  has  it  stolen  upon  thee,  beguiled 
thee,  caught  thee  with  its  glitter,  fascinated  thee  with 
its  syren  song,  overwhelmed  thee  with  its  crushing 
cares  ?— Come  out  from  it  and  be  separate  ;  resign 
its  hollow  friendship,  its  temporising  policy,  its  car- 
nal enjoyments,  its  fleshly  wisdom,  its  sinful  con- 
formity. All  these  becloud  the  vision,  and  enfeeble 
the  grasp  of  faith.  The  world,  and  the  love  of  it, 
and  conformity  to  it,  may  please  and  assist  the  life 
of  sefise,  but  it  is  opposed  to,  and  will  retard,  the 
life  of  faith.  Not  more  opposed  in  their  natures 
are  the  flesh  and  the  Spirit,  darkness  and  light,  sin 
and  holiness,  than  are  a  vigorous  life  of  faith  and  a 
sinful  love  of  the  w^orld.  Professor  of  the  Gospel ! 
guard  against  the  world  ;  it  is  your  great  bane  : 
watch  against  conformity  to  it  in  your  dress,  in  your 
mode  of  living,  in  the  education  of  your  children,  in 
the  principles,  and  motives,  and  policy,  that  govern 
you.  We  would  say  to  every  professing  Christian 
be  a  non-conformist  here  :  separate  yourselves  from 
the  world, — that  world  that  crucified  your  Lord  and 
Master,  and  would  crucify  his  faith  that  is  in  you ; 
touch  not  the  unclean  thing,  for  "  ye  are  a  chosen 
generation,  a  royal  priesthood,  an  holy  nation,  a  pe- 


DECLENSION    IN    FAITH.  103 

culiar  people ;  that  ye  should  show  forth  the  praises 
of  him  who  hath  called  you  out  of  darkness  into  his 
marvellous  light."  Would  you  be  'strong  in  faith, 
giving  glory  to  God  ?'— -then  yield  obedience  to  the 
voice  which,  with  an  unearthly  tongue,  exclaims  to 
every  professing  child  of  God,  "  Be  not  conforoned 
to  this  world  ;  but  be  transformed  by  the  renewing 
of  your  mind,  that  ye  may  prove  what  is  that  good, 
and  acceptable,  and  perfect  will  of  God  !" 

Is  it  unmortified  sin  that  feeds  at  the  root  of 
faith  l  Bring  it  to  the  cross  of  Christ, — condemn  it 
there,  nail  it  there,  and  leave  it  not  until  you  are 
enabled  to  exclaim,  "  thanks  be  unto  God,  who 
always  causeth  me  to  triumph  through  Christ 
Jesus ! " 

Is  it  the  indulgence  of  unbelieving  and  dis- 
honoring fears  touching  your  interest  in  Christ  ? 
Yield  them,  and  let  the  wind  scatter  them ;  there  is 
no  ground  for  the  doubts  and  unbelief  of  a  child  of 
God ;  there  may  be  much  in  himself  to  cast  him 
down,  but  nothing  in  the  truth  which  he  professes 
to  believe ;  there  is  nothing  in  the  subject-matter  of 
faith,  nothing  in  Christ,  nothing  in  the  work  of 
Christ,  nothing  in  the  word  of  God,  calculated  to 
beget  a  doubt  or  a  fear  in  the  heart  of  a  poor  sinner. 
On  the  contrary,  everything  to  inspire  confidence, 
strengthen  faith,  and  encourage  hope.  Does  his  sin 
plead  loud  for  his  condemnation  ? — the  voice  of  Im- 
manuel's  blood  pleads  louder  for  his  pardon ;  does 
his  own  righteousness  condemn  ? — the  righteousness 
of  Christ  acquits.  Thus  there  is  nothing  in  Christ 
to  engender  an   unbelieving  doubt  in  a  poor  con- 


104  DKC'LKNdlUN    IN     FAITH. 

vinced  sinner.  Himself  he  may  doubt, — he  may 
doubt  his  ability  to  save  himself — he  may  doubt  his 
power  to  better  his  condition,  to  make  himself  more 
worthy  and  acceptable,  but  never  let  him  doubt  that 
Christ  is  all  that  a  poor,  lost,  convinced  sinner 
wants.  Let  him  not  doubt  that  Jesus  is  the  friend 
of  sinners,  the  Saviour  of  sinners,  and  that  he  was 
never  known  to  cast  out  one  who  in  lowliness  and 
brokenness  of  heart,  sought  his  compassionate  grace. 
O  seek,  reader,  more  simple  views  of  Jesus  ;  clearer 
views  of  his  great  and  finished  work ;  take  every 
doubt  as  it  is  suggested,  every  fear  as  it  rises,  to 
him ;  and  remember  that  whatever  of  vileness  you 
discover  in  yourself  that  has  a  tendency  to  lay  you 
low,  there  is  everything  in  Jesus  calculated  to  lift 
you  from  the  dunghill,  and  place  you  among  the 
princes.  Discovering  to  the  backsliding  believer 
these  points, — making  known  to  him  which  it  is 
that  causes  the  declension  of  his  faith,  the  Eternal 
Spirit  of  God  takes  the  first  step  in  the  great  and 
precious  work  of  revival. 

A  further  step  by  which  the  Holy  Spirit  revives 
the  decaying  faith  of  the  believer  is,  by  leading  him 
to  rest  more  simply  on  the  faithfulness  of  God. 
What  a  restorative  to  drooping  faith  are  these  de- 
clarations of  the  Divine  word,  which  represent  God 
as  infinitely  unchangeable  and  faithful :  "  I  am  the 
Lord,  I  change  not :"  "  Every  good  gift  and  every 
perfect  gift  is  from  above,  and  comeih  down  from 
the  Father  of  lights,  with  whom  is  no  variableness, 
neither  shadow  of  turning :"  "  I  will  betroth  thee 
unto  me  in  faithfulness  :"  *'  Righteousness  shall  be 


DECLENSION    IN     FAITH.  105 

the  girdle  of  his  loins,  and  faithfuhiess  the  girdle  of 
his  reins :"  "  Nor  will  I  suffer  my  faithfulness  to 
fail :"  "  Great  is  thy  faithfulness :"  "  Faithful  is  he 
that  promised  !  "  And  then  to  remember,  that  the 
unbelief  of  the  believer  never  affects  the  faithfulness 
of  God  !  "  If  we  believe  not,  yet  he  abideth  faithful ; 
he  cannot  deny  himself."  This  is  the  only  true 
and  secure  anchorage-ground  for  a  poor  soul,  tossed 
amid  the  waves  of  doubt  and  perplexity  : — to  know 
that  God  cannot  alter  his  word, — that  it  is  impossible 
that  he  should  lie, — that  were  he  to  deviate  from 
his  infinite  perfection,  he  would  cease  to  be  a  perfect 
Being,  and  consequently  would  cease  to  be  God;  to 
know,  too,  that  he  is  faithful  in  the  midst  of  the 
unfaithfulness  and  perpetual  startings  aside  of  his 
child, — faithful  in  the  depth  of  the  deepest  afflic- 
tion— faithful  when  earthly  hopes  wither,  and  human 
cisterns  are  broken,  and  when  the  soul  is  led  to 
exclaim,  "  His  faithfulness  hath  failed ! "  O  what 
a  spring  to  a  tried  and  drooping  faith,  is  this  view 
which  God  himself  has  given  of  his  own  glorious 
and  perfect  character!  It  is  no  small  triumph  of 
faith  to  walk  with  God,  when  all  is  darkness  with 
the  soul,  and  there  is  no  light ;  to  feed  amid  the 
roaring  of  the  waves  that  still  he  is  faithful ;  that 
though  he  slay,  yet  the  soul  can  trust  him ;  that 
though  he  were  to  take  all  else  away,  he  w^ovild 
never  remove  himself  from  his  people.  O  glorious 
triumph  of  faith  !  "  Who  is  among  you  that  feareth 
the  Lord,  that  obeyeth  the  voice  of  his  servant,  that 
walketh  in  darkness,  and  hath  no  light?  let  him 


106  DECLENSION    IN    FAITH. 

trust  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,  and  stay  upon  his 
God." 

It  will  tend  much  to  the  revival  of  a  tried  and 
drooping  faith  to  remember,  that  when  the  Lord  is 
about  to  impart  any  peculiar  mercy,  there  is  ahvays 
a  travail  of  faith  for  that  mercy.  Some  of  the 
choicest  mercies  of  the  covenant  brought  into  the 
experience  of  the  believer,  come  by  travail  of  faith  : 
it  may  be  a  tedious  and  a  painful  process  ;  faith 
may  be  long  and  sharply  tried,  yet  the  blessings  it 
will  bring  forth  will  more  than  repay  for  all  the 
weeping,  and  suffering,  and  crying,  it  has  occasioned. 
Be  not  surprised,  then,  at  any  severe  trial  of  faith  ; 
be  sure  that  when  it  is  thus  tried,  God  is  about  to 
bring  your  soul  into  the  possession  of  some  great, 
and  perhaps,  hitherto  unexperienced  mercy.  It  may 
be  a  travail  of  faith  for  spiritual  blessing ;  and  the 
result  may  be  a  deepening  of  the  work  in  your  heart, 
increase  of  spirituality,  more  weanedness  from  crea- 
ture-trust, and  more  child-like  leaning  upon  the 
Lord  ;  more  simple,  close,  and  sanctifying  knowledge 
of  the  Lord  Jesus.  Or,  it  may  be  a  travail  of  faith 
for  temporal  mercy,  for  the  supply  of  some  want, 
the  rescue  from  some  embarrassment,  the  deliver- 
ance out  of  some  peculiar  and  trying  difficulty  ;  but, 
whatever  the  character  of  the  trial  of  faith  be,  the 
issue  is  always  certain  and  glorious.  The  Lord  may 
bring  his  child  into  difficult  and  strait  paths,  he  may 
hedge  him  about  with  thorns  so  that  he  cannot  get 
out,  but  it  is  only  to  draw  the  soul  more  simply  to 
repose  in  himself;  that,  in  the  extremity,  when  no 
creature  would  or  could  help,  when  refuge  failed  and 


DECLENSION    FN    FAITH.  107 

no  man  cared  for  his  soul,  that  then  faith  should  go 
out  and  rest  itself  in  Him  who  never  disowns  his 
own  work,  but  always  honors  the  feeblest  exhibition, 
and  turns  his  ear  to  the  faintest  cry.  "  Out  of  the 
depths  have  I  cried  unto  thee,  O  Lord.  Lord,  hear 
my  voice :  let  thine  ears  be  attentive  to  the  voice  of 
my  supplication."  "  In  my  distress  I  called  upon 
the  Lord,  and  cried  unto  my  God  :  he  heard  my 
voice  out  of  his  temple,  and  my  cry  came  before  him, 
ev^en  into  his  ears."  "  O  magnify  the  Lord  with  me, 
and  let  us  exalt  his  name  together.  I  sought  the 
Lord,  and  he  heard  me,  and  delivered  me  from  all 
my  fears."  "  This  poor  man  cried,  and  the  Lord 
heard  him :  and  saved  him  out  of  all  his  troubles," 
Here  was  the  severe  travail  of  faith,  and  here  we  see 
the  blessed  result.  Thus  true  is  God's  word,  which 
declares  that  "  weeping  may  endure  for  a  night,  but 
joy  Cometh  in  the  morning."  "  He  that  goeth  forth 
and  weepeth,  bearing  precious  seed,  shall  doubtless 
come  again  with  rejoicing,  bringing  his  sheaves  with 
him." 

But  more, — the  trial  of  faith  is  a  test  of  its  de- 
gree. We  know  not  what  faith  we  possess,  until  the 
Lord  calls  it  into  exercise  ;  we  may  be  greatly  de- 
ceived as  to  its  nature  and  degree ;  to  walk  upon 
the  stormy  water,  may  be  thought  by  us  an  easy 
thing ;  to  witness  for  Christ,  no  hard  matter  ;  but  the 
Lord  brings  our  faith  to  the  test.  He  bids  us  come 
to  him  upon  the  water,  and  then  we  begin  to  sink ; 
he  suffers  us  to  be  assailed  by  our  enemies,  and  we 
shrink  from  the  cross  ;  he  puts  our  faith  to  the  trial, 
and  then  we  learn  how  little  we  possess. 


108  DECLENSION    IN    FAITH. 

The  trial  of  faith  is  also  a  test  of  its  character  ; 
it  is  the  furnace  that  tries  the  ore  of  what  kind  it  is: 
it  may  be  brass,  or  iron,  or  clay,  or  perhaps  precious 
gold;  but  the  crucible  will  test  it.  There  is  much 
that  passes  for  real  faith,  which  is  no  faith  ;  there  is 
much  spurious,  counterfeit  metal ;  it  is  the  trial  that 
brings  out  its  real  character.  The  true  character  of 
Judas  was  not  known  until  his  covetousness  was 
tempted  ;  Simon  Magus  was  not  discovered  to  pos- 
sess a  spurious  faith  until  he  thought  to  purchase  the 
gift  of  God  with  money  ;  Denias  did  not  forsake  the 
apostle,  until  the  world  drew  him  away.  Thus  sol- 
emnly has  our  Lord  unfolded  this  truth, — "  He  that 
received  the  seed  into  stony  places,  the  same  is  he 
that  heareth  the  word,  and  anon  with  joy  receiveth 
it ;  yet  hath  he  not  root  in  himself,  but  dureth  for  a 
while :  for  when  tribulation  or  persecution  ariseth 
because  of  the  word,  by-and-by  he  is  offended.  He 
also  that  received  seed  among  the  thorns  is  he  that 
heareth  the  word ;  and  the  care  of  this  world,  and 
the  deceitfulness  of  riches,  choke  the  word,  and  he 
becometh  unfruitful."  But  true  faith  stands  the 
trial ;  where  there  is  a  real  work  of  grace  in  the 
heart,  no  tribulation,  or  persecution,  or  power  of  this 
world,  will  ever  be  able  to  expel  it  thence  :  but  if  all 
is  chaff,  the  wind  will  scatter  it ;  if  all  is  but  dross 
and  tinsel,  the  fire  will  consume  it.  Let  the  humble 
and  tried  believer,  then,  thank  God  for  every  test  that 
brings  out  the  real  character  of  his  faith,  and  proves 
it  to  be  "  the  faith  of  God's  elect."  God  will  try  his 
own  work  in  the  gracious  soul ;  every  grace  of  his 
own  Spirit  he  will  at  one   time  or  another  place  in 


DECLENSION    IN    FAITH. 


109 


the  crucible ;  but  never  will  he  remove  his  eye  from 
off  it ;  he  will  '  sit  as  a  refiner,'  and  watch  that  not 
a  grain  of  the  precious  metal  is  consumed  ;  he  will 
be  with  his  child  in  all  and  every  affliction  ;  not  for 
one  moment  will  he  leave  him.  Let  gratitude  rather 
than  murmuring,  joy  rather  than  sorrow,  attend 
every  test  which  a  loving  and  faithful  Father  brings 
to  his  own  gracious  work, — "  that  the  trial  of  your 
faith  being  much  more  precious  than  of  gold  that 
perisheth,  though  it  be  tried  with  fire,  might  be  found 
imto  praise,  and  honor,  and  glory,  at  the  appearing 
of  Jesus  Christ." 

Be  careful  of  not  making  a  Saviour  of  faith. 
There  is  a  danger — and  it  cannot  be  too  vigilantly 
guarded  against — of  substituting  the  work  of  the 
Spirit  for  the  work  of  Christ ;  this  mistake  it  is  that 
leads  so  many  of  God's  saints  to  look  within^  in- 
stead of  without,  themselves  for  the  evidences  of 
their  calling  and  acceptance ;  and  thus,  too,  so  many 
are  kept  all  their  spiritual  course  walking  in  a  state 
of  bondage  and  fear,  the  great  question  never  fully 
and  fairly  settled,  or,  in  other  words,  never  quite  sure 
of  their  sonship.  The  work  of  Christ  is  a  great  and 
finished  work  ;  it  is  so  glorious  that  it  can  admit  of 
no  comparison,  so  complete  that  it  can  allow  of  no 
addition,  and  so  essential  that  it  can  give  place  to 
no  substitution.  Precious  as  is  the  work  of  the  Holy 
Ghost  in  the  heart,  and  essential  as  it  is  to  the  sal- 
vation of  the  soul,  yet  he  who  places  it  where  the 
work  of  Jesus  ought  only  to  be,  deranges  the  order 
of  the  covenant,  closes  up  the  legitimate  source  of 
evidence,  and  will  assuredly  bring  distress  and  un- 
10 


110  DECLENSION    IN    FAITH. 

certainty  into  his  soul.  "  Righteousness,  peace,  and 
joy,"  are  the  fruit  of  a  full  belief  in  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ ;  and  he  who  looks  for  them  away  from  the 
cross,  will  meet  with  disappointment :  but  they  are 
found  in  Jesus.  He  who  looks  away  from  himself, 
from  his  vileness,  guiltiness,  emptiness,  and  poverty, 
fully  and  believingly  unto  Jesus,  shall  know  what 
the  forgiveness  of  sin  is,  and  shall  experience  the 
love  of  God  shed  abroad  in  his  heart. 

If,  then,  your  faith  is  feeble  and  tried,  be  not  cast 
down ;  faith  does  not  save  you.  Though  it  be  an 
instrument  of  salvation,  and  as  such,  is  of  vast  im- 
portance, it  is  but  the  instrument ;  the  finished  work 
of  Immanuel  is  the  ground  of  your  salvation,  yea,  it 
is  your  salvation  itself.  Then  make  not  a  Saviour 
of  your  faith  ;  despise  it  not  if  it  is  feeble,  exult  not 
in  it  if  it  is  strong,  trample  not  on  it  if  it  is  small, 
defy  it  not  if  it  is  great ;  such  are  the  extremes  to 
which  every  believer  is  exposed.  If  your  faith  is 
feeble  and  sharply  tried,  it  is  no  evidence  that  you 
are  not  a  believer ;  but  the  evidence  of  your  accept- 
ance in  the  Belo\'eci,  is  to  arise  from  Jesus  alorie  ; 
then  let  your  constant  motto  be,  "  looking  unto 
Jesus;"  looking  to  him  just  as  you  are;  looking 
unto  him  when  faith  is  feeble ;  looking  unto  him 
when  faith  is  tried  ;  looking  unto  him  when  faith  is 
declining,  yea,  looking  unto  him  when  you  fear  you 
Lave  no  faith.  Look  up,  tried  and  tempted  soul ! 
Jesus  is  the  Author,  the  Sustainer,  and  he  will  be 
come  the  Finisher  of  thy  faith.  All  thou  wantest  is 
in  him.  One  glimpse,  dim  though  it  be,  of  his 
cross, — one   touch,   trembling  though   it  be,  of   his 


DECLENSION    IN    FAITH.  Ill 

garment, — will  lift  thee  from  thy  lowest  depths, 
lighten  thy  heaviest  burden,  gild  thy  darkest  pros- 
pect, and  when  thou  arrivest  at  Jordan's  brink,  will 
bear  thee  safely  through  its  swellings,  and  land  thee 
on  the  sunny  and  verdant  shores  of  Canaan.  Let 
this  be  your  prayer,  urged  unceasingly  at  the  throne 
of  grace  until  it  is  answered — "  Lord,  increase  my 
faith  ;"  and  then  with  holy  Paul,  you  too  shall  be 
enabled  with  humble  assurance  to  exclaim,  "  I  know 
in  whom  I  have  believed,  and  am  persuaded  that  he 
is  able  to  keep  that  which  I  have  committed  unto 
him  against  that  day  !" 


CHAPTER   IV. 

DECLENSION      IN      PRAYER. 

"  Thou  restrainest  prayer  before  God." — Job  xv.  4. 

Were  we  to  select  a  single  characteristic  of  per- 
sonal declension  more  marked  than  another,  we 
should  feel  no  hesitation  in  adopting  the  decay  of 
the  spirit  of  prayer  as  that  feature.  As  prayer  is 
the  first  evidence  of  spiritual  life  in  the  soul,  and  its 
growth  in  spirituality  and  vigor  marks  the  healthy 
and  advanced  state  of  that  life,  so  the  declension  of 
prayer  in  its  spirit,  exercise,  and  enjoyment,  is  strong- 
ly indicative  of  the  decay  of  real  grace  in  a  child  of 
God.  We  address  ourselves  to  the  unfolding  of  this 
subject  under  the  solemn  conviction,  that  it  is  of 
more  general  application  to  professing  believers, 
than  upon  first  reflection  some  would,  perhaps,  be 
ready  to  admit ;  and  that  it  involves  more  serious 
consequences  to  the  spiritual  interests  of  the  soul, 
than  any  branch  of  personal  declension  we  have  yet 
considered. 

In  opening  to  the  reader  tlie  nature  of  true  prayer^ 
— which  seems  proper  before  we  consider  its  de- 
clension,— we  remark,  there  are  many  solemn  and 
affecting  things  connected  with  it,  which  present  it 
as  a  subject  of  vast  importance.  What  is  prayer  7 
It  is  the  communion  of  the   spiritual   life    in    the 


DECLENSION     IN    PRAYER.  113 

soul  of  man  with  its  Divine  Author ;  it  is  a  breath- 
ing bacii  the  Divine  hfe  into  the  bosom  of  God  from 
whence  it  came ;  it  is  lioly,  spiritual,  humble  con- 
verse with  God.  That  was  a  beautiful  remark  of  a 
converted  heathen, — "  1  open  my  Bible,  and  God 
talks  with  me  ;  I  close  my  Bible,  and  then  I  talk 
with  God."  Striking  definition  of  true  prayer !  It 
is  a  talking  with  God  as  a  child  talketh  with  his  fa- 
ther, as  a  friend  converseth  with  his  friend  :  "  And 
the  Lord  talked  with  Moses."  Let  it  be  remembered 
then,  that  true  prayer  is  the  aspiration  of  a  renewed 
soul  towards  God  :  it  is  the  breathing  of  the  Divine 
life,  sometimes  in  the  accents  of  sorrow,  sometimes 
as  the  expression  of  want,  and  always  as  the  ac- 
knowledgment of  dependence;  it  is  the  looking  up 
of  a  renewed,  afflicted,  necessitous,  and  dependent 
child  toils  own  loving  Father,  in  all  the  consciousness 
of  utter  weakness,  and  in  all  the  sweetness  of  filial 
trust. 

Who  is  the  object  of  prayer  ?  Jehovah,  the  Lord 
of  heaven  and  earth  ;  to  him  as  the  Three  in  One, 
does  true  prayer  only  address  itself  He  only  hath 
an  ear  to  hear  our  tale  of  sorrow,  an  arm  that  can 
succor  in  time  of  need,  and  a  heart  that  can  sym- 
pathise with  our  deep  necessity.  The  high  and 
lofty  One,  that  inhabiteth  eternity,  whose  name  is 
holy,  who  is  the  Creator  and  Governor  of  all  worlds, 
who  bears  up  the  pillars  of  the  universe,  to  whom  all 
the  powers  in  heaven,  in  earth,  and  in  hell,  are  sub- 
ject, he  is  the  glorious  Object  to  whom  we  address 
ourselves  in  prayer. 

Not  less  amazing  is  the  medium  of  prayer ;  what 
10* 


114  DECLENSION    IN    PRAYER. 

is  it?  Not  a  creature,  dependent  as  ourselves;  but 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  Son  of  God,  equal  in 
might,  majesty,  and  dominion  with  the  Father,  and 
yet  the  Elder  Brother,  the  slain  Lamb,  the  Mediator 
and  Surety,  the  High  Priest  of  his  people.  Prayer 
finds  acceptance  within  the  veil,  only  as  it  is  pre- 
sented in  the  name  of  Jesus.  The  voice  that  speaks 
there,  in  behalf  of  the  lowly  suppliant,  is  the  voice 
of  Immanuel's  blood  ;  this  is  the  "  new  and  living 
way," — this  is  the  plea  that  prevails, — this  is  the  ar- 
gument that  moves  Omnipotence  itself.  He  who 
pleads  the  blood  of  Jesus  in  prayer,  may  have  ten 
thousand  tongues  all  pleading  against  him,  but  "  the 
blood  of  Jesus  speaks  better  things,"  and  drowns 
their  every  voice.  O  precious,  costly  medium  of 
prayer ! 

Marvellous,  too,  is  the  Author  of  prayer;  who  is 
he  ?  The  apostle  informs  us  :  "  Likewise  the  Spirit 
also  helpeth  our  infirmities ;  for  we  know  not  what 
we  should  pray  for  as  we  ought;  but  the  Spirit 
itself  maketh  intercession  for  us,  with  groanings 
which  cannot  be  uttered."  Thus  is  it  the  Holy 
Ghost  who  begets  the  desire,  indites  the  petition, 
and  breathes  it  forth  in  prayer  through  Christ  to 
God.  What  a  sublime  exercise,  then,  is  prayer ! 
The  outgoing  of  the  Divine  life  in  the  soul  is  its 
nature, — Jehovah  its  object, — the  Lord  Jesus  its 
medium, — and  the  Holy  Ghost  its  author.  Thus, 
the  blessed  Trinity  in  Unity  is  engaged  in  the  great 
work  of  a  sinner's  approach  unto  God. 

Touching  the  absolute  necessity  of  prayer,  need 
we  enlarge?     And  yet  it  must  be  admitted,  that  the 


DECLENSION    IN    PRAYER.  115 

believer  requires  constant  exhortation  to  the  exercise 
of  this  duty.  Do  we  want  any  stronger  evidence  of 
the  perpetual  tendency  to  spiritual  declension  than 
this, — that  the  child  of  God  requires  repeated  stimu- 
lus to  the  sweet  and  precious  privilege  of  communion 
with  his  heavenly  Father  ? — that  he  needs  to  be 
urged  by  the  strongest  arguments  and  the  most  per- 
suasive motives  to  avail  himself  of  the  most  costly 
and  glorious  privilege  this  side  of  glory  ?  Does  it 
not  seem  hke  pleading  with  a  man  to  live? — re- 
minding him  that  he  must  respirate  if  he  would 
maintain  life?  Without  the  exercise  of  prayer,  we 
tell  a  child  of  God,  he  cannot  live ;  that  this  is  the 
drawing  in  of  the  Divine  life,  and  the  breathing  of 
it  forth  again  ;  that  the  spiritual  nature  requires 
constant  supplies  of  spiritual  nourishment;  and  that 
the  only  evidence  of  its  healthy  existence  is,  its 
constant  rising  towards  God.  We  tell  him,  cease  to 
pray,  and  all  your  grace  withers,  all  your  vigor 
decays,  and  all  your  comfort  dies. 

But  observe  how  prayer,  as  a  duty,  is  enjoined  in 
God's  word  :  "  Call  upon  me  in  the  day  of  trouble,  I 
will  deliver  thee,  and  thou  shalt  glorify  me."  Psalm 
1.  15.  As  though  the  Lord  had  said,  "  Call  upon 
me  when  all  is  dark,  when  all  is  against  you  ;  1 
speak  not  now  of  the  day  of  prosperity,  of  the  sunny 
hour,  when  thy  soul  prospers,  when  thy  business 
prospers,  when  all  things  go  smooth  with  thee,  and 
the  sky  above  thee  is  cloudless,  and  the  sea  beneath 
thee  is  unruffled  ;  but  call  upon  me  in  the  day  of 
trouble^  the  day  of  want,  the  day  of  adversity,  the 
day  of  disappointment  and  of  rebuke,  the  day  when 


116  DECLENSION    IN    PRAYER. 

friends  forsake,  and  the  world  frowns  upon  thee,  the 
day  of  broken  cisterns  and  withered  gourds. — Call 
upon  me  in  the  day  of  trouble,  and  I  will  deliver 
thee."  Observe,  too,  how  our  dear  Lord  enjoined 
this  precious  duty  upon  his  disciples  :  "  Thou,  when 
thou  prayest,  enter  into  thy  closet,  and,  when  thou 
hast  shut  thy  door,  pray  to  thy  Father  which  is  in 
secret."  Matt.  vi.  6.  And  observe  how  he  also  eri- 
couraged  it :  ''  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you,  what- 
soever ye  shall  ask  the  Father  in  my  name,  he  will 
give  it  you."  John  xvi.  23.  In  harmony  with  this, 
is  the  sweet  exhortation  of  the  apostle  :  "  Be  careful 
for  nothing  ;  but  in  everything  by  prayer  and  sup- 
plication with  thanksgiving  let  your  requests  be 
made  known  unto  God."  Phil.  iv.  6.  And  what  a 
striking  unfolding  of  the  true  nature  of  prayer  does 
the  same  writer  give  us  in  Eph.  vi.  18  :  "  Praying 
always  with  all  prayer  and  supplication  in  the  Spirit, 
and  watching  thereunto  witli  all  perseverance  and 
supplication  for  all  saints."  The  apostle  James  bears 
the  same  testimony  :  "  If  any  of  you  lack  wisdom, 
let  him  ask  of  God,  that  giveth  to  all  men  liberally, 
and  upbraideth  not,  and  it  shall  be  given  him."  i.  5. 
But  we  take  higher  ground  than  this  ;  we  urge 
the  exercise  of  prayer,  not  merely  as  a  solemn  duty 
to  be  observed,  but  also  as  a  precious  privilege  to  be 
enjoyed.  Happy  is  that  believer,  when  duties  come 
to  be  viewed  as  privileges.  What !  is  it  no  privi- 
lege to  have  a  door  of  access  ever  open  to  God  ?  Is 
it  no  privilege  when  the  burthen  crushes,  to  cast  it 
upon  One  who  has  promised  to  sustain  ?  When  the 
corruptions  of  an  unsanctified  nature  are  strong,  and 


DECLENSION    IN    PRAYER.  117 

temptations  thicken,  is  prayer  no  privilege  then  ? 
And  when  perplexed  to  know  the  path  of  duty,  and 
longing  to  walk  complete  in  all  the  will  of  God,  and, 
as  a  child,  fearing  to  offend  a  loving  Father,  is  it 
then  no  privilege  to  have  a  throne  of  grace,  an  open 
door  of  hope  l  When  the  world  is  slowly  stealing 
upon  the  heart,  or  when  that  heart  is  wounded 
through  the  unkindness  of  friends,  or  is  bleeding 
under  sev^ere  bereavement,  is  it  then  no  privilege  to 
go  and  tell  Jesus  ?  Say,  ye  poor,  ye  needy,  ye  tried, 
ye  tempted  souls  !  say,  if  prayer  is  not  the  most  pre- 
cious, balmy  and  costly  privilege  this  side  heaven. 

And  yet  how  much  infidelity  still  lingers  in  the 
heart  of  a  renewed  soul,  touching  this  solemn  duty 
and  immense  privilege  !  That  is  infidehty  that 
takes  a  believer  in  the  hour  of  his  need  first  to  the 
arm  of  flesh,  rather  than  in  prayer  to  God.  To  go 
to  the  creature  first,  is  to  "  go  down  into  Egypt"  for 
help, — a  sin  which  God  has  signahsed  with  his  se- 
verest displeasure. 

But  true  prayer  may  greatly  decline,  and  to  the 
consideration  of  this  point,  in  connection  with  the 
means  of  its  revival,  we  now  proceed  to  direct  the 
serious  attention  of  the  reader. 

Prayer  is  the  spiritual  pulse  of  the  renewed  soul ; 
its  beat  indicates  the  healthy  or  unhealthy  state  of 
the  believer.  Just  as  the  physician  would  decide 
upon  the  health  of  the  body  from  the  action  of  the 
pulse,  so  would  we  decide  upon  the  spiritual  health 
of  the  soul  before  God,  by  the  estimation  in  which 
prayer  is  held  by  the  believer.  If  the  soul  is  in  a 
spiritually    healthy,  growing   state,   prayer   will   be 


118  DECLENSION    IN    PRAYER. 

vigorous,  lively,  spiritual,  and  constant ;  if,  on  the 
contrary,  an  incipient  process  of  declension  is  going 
forward  in  the  soul — if  the  heart  is  wandering,  and 
love  waxeth  cold,  and  faith  is  decaying,  the  spirit 
and  the  habit  of  prayer  will  immediately  betray  it. 

In  the  first  place,  we  remark,  that  the  spirit  of 
prayer  may  decline  in  the  believer,  and  he  may  not 
at  once  be  sensible  of  it.  The  form  and  the  habit  of 
prayer  may  for  awhile  continue,  the  domestic  altar 
sustained,  and  even  the  closet  occasionally  visited  ; — 
but  the  spirit  of  prayer  has  evaporated,  and  all  is 
coldness  and  dulness,  the  very  torpor  and  frigidity 
of  death !  But  of  what  real  worth  is  the  habit  of 
prayer  apart  from  the  spirit  of  prayer  ?  just  what  this 
planet  would  be  without  the  sun,  or  the  body  with- 
out the  living,  animating,  breathing  soul, — \\''hat  but 
a  cold,  lifeless  form  ?  Yes  ;  and  a  believer  may  be 
beguiled  into  this  lamentable  state,  and  not  a  suspi- 
cion of  its  existence  be  awakened  ;  he  may  observe 
his  accustomed  habit,  and  use  his  empty  form,  and 
not  suspect  that  all  is  cold  and  breathless  as  death 
itself.  O  it  is  not  the  rigidly-observed  form  that 
God  looks  at ;  nor  is  it  great  volubility,  and  eloquent 
fluency,  and  rich  sentiment,  and  splendid  imagery, 
and  rounded  periods,  that  God  regards :  far  from 
this ;  a  man  may  not  be  able  to  give  expression  to 
his  deep  emotion  in  pra5rer,  his  thoughts  may  find 
no  vehicle  of  utterance,  language  may  entirely  fail 
him  ;  or,  if  he  attempts  the  audible  expression  of 
his  wants,  there  ma)^  be  much  that  oflfends  a  refined 
taste,  and  that  grates  harshly  upon  a  musical  ear, 
and  yet    the   spirit   of  prayer   may  glow  in    h  ■ 


DECLENSION     IN    PRAYER.  119 

breast ; — and  this — the  true  language  of  prayer — 
finds  its  way  to  the  ear  and  to  the  heart  of  God. 
Now  it  is  manifest  from  observation,  as  it  is  from 
God's  word,  that  the  spirit  of  prayer  may  depart 
from  a  soul,  and  the  gift  of  prayer  and  its  form 
may  remain.  The  form  may  be  found  easy, — 
words,  and  even  thought,  may  flow  freely,  and  yet, 
no  warmth,  no  life,  no  spirituality,  no  power,  no 
unction,  attend  the  prayer ;  and  this  may  long  con- 
tinue the  state  of  a  professing  man.  O  guard 
against  it,  reader  ;  look  well  to  the  state  of  your 
soul;  examine  your  prayers;  see  that  ye  have  not 
substituted  the  cold  forin  for  the  glowing  spirit^  the 
mere  body  for  the  soul.  Real  prayer  is  the  breath- 
ing of  God's  own  Spirit  in  the  heart  ;  have  you 
thisl  It  is  comrminion  and  fellowship  with  God; 
know  you  what  this  is  ?  It  is  brokenness,  contri- 
tion, confession,  and  that  often  springing  from  an 
overwhelming  sense  of  his  goodness  and  his  love 
shed  abroad  in  the  heart ;  is  this  thy  experience  ? 
Again  we  repeat  it,  look  well  to  your  prayers  ;  test 
them,  not  by  the  natural  or  acquired  gift  which  you 
may  possess, — this  is  nothing  with  God ;  in  answer 
to  all  your  forms,  he  may  say,  "  I  hear  no  prayer. 
To  what  purpose  is  the  multitude  of  your  sacrifices 
unto  me,  when  ye  come  to  appear  before  me  ?  who 
hath  required  this  at  your  hands,  to  tread  my  courts? 
Bring  no  more  vain  oblations  :  incense  is  an  abomi- 
nation unto  me.  You»'  new  moons  and  your  ap- 
pointed feasts  my  soul  hateth  :  they  are  a  trouble 
unto  me,  I  am  weary  to  bear  them.  And  when  ye 
spread  forth  your  hands,  I  will  hide  mine  eyes  from 


120  DECLENSION    IN    PRAYER. 

you  :  yea,  when  ye  make  many  prayers,  I  will  not 
hear ;"  but  test  them  by  the  real  communion  you 
have  with  God, — the  returns  they  make  to  your 
soul. 

There  is  yet  another  state  in  which  the  habit  of 
'prayer  does  not  even  survive  the  declension  of  the 
spirit  of  prayer.  There  may  be  instances,  in  which, 
as  we  have  just  shown,  the  form  may  be  rigidly  sus- 
tained long  after  true  prayer  has  departed  from  the 
soul ;  there  may  be  too  much  light  in  the  conscience, 
and  too  much  strength  in  the  force  of  habit,  and 
something,  too,  in  the  appearance  of  the  thing,  that 
will  not  allow  of  a  total  abandonment  of  this.  But, 
in  most  cases  of  actual  backsliding,  the  habit  declines 
with  the  spirit;  the  latter  having  gone,  the  former 
becomes  insipid  and  tedious,  and  is  at  last  thrown  off 
as  a  thing  irksome  and  painful  to  the  mind.  And 
yet  even  the  relinquishment  of  the  form  is  not  always 
a  sudden  act :  Satan  is  too  subtle,  and  the  heart  too 
deceitful,  to  allow  of  this  ;  there  must  be  steps  in 
the  decline  The  sudden  breaking  off  from  the  ac- 
customed habit  of  prayer  might  awaken  alarm,  and 
surprise,  and  thoughtfulness  :  "  Has  it  come  to  this  ?" 
— would  be  the  exclamation  of  the  startled  soul. 
"  Am  I  so  far  gone,  as  to  abandon  even  my  wonted 
habit  of  prayer?"  Such  a  pause  and  such  an  in- 
quiry might  possibly  lead  to  self-examination,  con- 
trition, and  a  return  :  but  the  declension  is  g-radual. 
The  first  habit  that  is  relinquished  with  the  declen- 
sion of  the  spirit  of  prayer,  is  that  of  closet  prayer  ; 
this  is  the  first  exercise  that  loses  its  sweetness,  and 
becomes  tedious  and  insipid,  because  it  is  the  most 


DECLENSION    IN    PRAYER.  121 

spiritual  of  all  devotional  exercises,  and  has  most  to 
do  with  the  secret  intercourse  of  the  soul  with  God. 
And  who  can  portray  the  loss  ?  No  more  hallowed 
visits  to  the  closet ;  no  more  turning  aside  from 
business,  from  care,  and  from  the  world,  to  be  shut 
in  witli  God  ;  no  more  precious,  heart-melting,  spirit- 
humbling,  heaven-reviving  seasons  of  communion 
and  fellowship  with  the  Father  who  heareth  in  se- 
cret ;  no  more  sweet  visits  of  love  from  Jesus,  nor 
breathing  of  the  heart's  sorrows  and  wants  into  his 
secret  ear ; — the  closet  is  abandoned,  and  with  it  all 
pleasant,  holy,  and  happy  walk  with  God  ! 

The  relinquishment  of  ejaculatory  sprayer  then 
follows.  That  holy  habit  of  a  growing  Christian, 
which,  while  in  the  world,  and  diligently  engaged  in 
its  lawful  calling,  yet  keeps  him  soaring  above  it ; 
which  sustains  the  wheels  of  the  soul  in  an  easy  and 
constant  motion,  preserves  it  in  a  hol}'^,  heavenly 
frame :  fortifies  it  against  the  surprisals  of  the  ad- 
versary, and  strengthens  it  in  every  inward  or  out- 
ward conflict, — ejaculatory  prayer,  the  '  prayer  with- 
out ceasing,'  is  given  up  ;  and  all  seems  a  blank  be- 
tween the  soul  and  God  ! 

Family  prayer  is,  perhaps,  the  next  devotional 
habit  that  is  abandoned.  That  "  border  which  keeps 
the  web  of  daily  life  from  unravelling  ;"  that  exer- 
cise which  throws  so  hallowing  an  influence  around 
the  domestic  circle, — cementing  the  hearts,  awaken- 
ing and  concentrating  the  sympathies,  fortifying  the 
mind,  and  softening  the  cares  and  trials  of  each  loved 
member,  is  now  yielded  :  the  family  Bible,  so  regu- 
larly brought  out.  spread  open,  read,  and  expounded, 
U 


122  DECLENSION    IN    PRAYER. 

is  now  laid  aside  ;  the  altar  around  which  clustered 
in  devout  and  reverential  silence  the  lowly  group, 
and  from  which  ascended  the  morning  and  the  even- 
ing sacrifice,  is  thrown  down  ;  for  he  who  officiated 
at  its  holy  shrine,  has  declined  in  the  spirit  of  prayer, 
and  the  effects  of  his  declension  are  felt  and  traced 
by  every  member,  and  through  every  department  of 
the  domestic  circle ;  the  patriarch  no  more  returns  to 
bless  his  household  ! 

Social  prayer  is  now  relinquished  without  a  sigh. 
That  service  that  was  once  found  so  refreshing  and 
exhilarating  at  the  close  of  the  day's  cares ;  and 
which,  amid  its  fatigues,  anxieties,  and  disappoint- 
ments, was  so  fondly  anticipated  and  ardently  longed 
for,  comes  and  passes  away  unheeded  and  unregret- 
ted.  The  hour  of  prayer  arrives,  we  look  at  the 
vacant  place  and  we  inquire,  "  where  is  he  ?" — away, 
amid  the  world's  turmoil,  and  ardent  in  its  pursuit : 
"  where  is  he  ?" — gone,  perhaps,  to  some  scene  of 
carnal  amusement,  folly,  and  sin;  and  he,  who, 
when  the  season  of  social  communion  returned,  was 
present  to  cheer  and  encourage  with  his  prayers  and 
exhortations  the  souls  of  the  devout  assembly,  is  now 
away  "  sowing  to  the  flesh,"  and  giving  to  the  "  things 
that  are  temporal,"  the  time  and  the  energies  that 
belong  to  the  "  things  that  are  eternal."  This  is  the 
man  in  whom  the  spirit  of  prayer  has  declined ! 
From  one  step  of  declension  he  has  proceeded  to 
another,  until  his  soul  has  become,  as  to  all  grace 
and  spirituality  and  love,  hke  the  barren  heath  of 
the  desert,  without  a  spot  of  verdure  to  cheer  and 
enliven  it.     But  there  are  yet  other  consequences  of 


DECLENSION    IN    PRAYER.  123 

the  soul's  declension  in  the  spirit  and  habit  of  prayer 
too  solemn  and  serious  to  overlook  :  they  are  the  fol- 
lowing :^ 

A  distant  walk  from  God  will  superinduce  distant 
thoughts  of  God,  and  this  is  no  light  matter.  If  the 
simple  axiom  be  true,  that  the  more  intimate  we  be- 
come with  any  object,  the  better  we  are  prepared  to 
judge  of  its  nature  and  properties,  we  may  apply  it 
with  peculiar  appropriateness  to  our  acquaintance 
with  God.  The  encouraging  invitation  of  his  word 
is,  "  Acquaint  now  thyself  with  God,  and  be  at 
peace."  Now,  it  is  this  acquaintance  with  God  that 
brings  us  into  the  knowledge  of  his  character  as  a 
holy,  loving,  and  faithful  God  ;  and  it  is  this  know- 
ledge of  his  character  that  begets  love  and  confidence 
in  the  soul  towards  him.  The  more  we  know  of 
God,  the  more  we  love  him  :  the  more  we  try  him, 
the  more  we  confide  in  him.  Let  the  spiritual 
reader,  then,  conceive  what  dire  effects  must  result 
from  a  distant  walk  from  God.  The  farther  the 
soul  gets  from  him,  the  more  imperfect  must  be  its 
knowledge  of  him.  When  he  appears  in  his  cor- 
rective dealings,  how  will  those  dealings  be  inter- 
preted in  the  distant  walk  of  the  soul  ?  As  of  a 
covenant  God?  as  of  a  loving  Father?  Nay,  far 
from  it.  They  will  receive  a  harsh  and  unkind  in- 
terpretation, and  this  will  neutralise  their  effect : 
for  in  order  to  reap  the  proper  fruit  of  the  Lord's 
dealings  with  the  soul,  it  is  necessary  that  they 
should  be  viewed  in  the  light  of  his  faithfulness  and 
love.  The  moment  they  are  otherwise  interpreted, 
the  soul  starts  off  from  God,  and  wraps  itself  up  in 


124  DECLENSION    IN    PRAYER. 

gloomy  and  repulsive  views  of  his  character,  and 
government,  and  dealings.  But  this  will  assuredly 
follow  from  a  distant  walk.  O  guard  against  de- 
clension in  prayer :  let  there  be  no  distance  between 
God  and  thy  soul ! 

A  change  in  the  sweetness  and  enjoyment  of 
spiritual  duties,  may  be  regarded  as  another  and 
painful  effect  of  a  declension  in  this  holy  exercise : 
they  will  become  less  desired,  and  more  irksome  and 
insipid :  will  be  regarded  less  as  a  privilege,  more  as 
a  burthen  and  a  task.  What  is  the  spiritual  duty  ? 
Is  it  meditation  7  The  mind  is  not  attuned  to  this. 
It  demands  a  spiritual  mind,  one  richly  anointed  of 
the  Holy  Ghost,  and  accustomed  to  close  intercourse 
with  God,  rightly  and  profitably  to  enjoy  it.  Is  it 
the  co7nmunion  of  saints  7  This  soon  becomes 
irksome  and  insipid.  The  company  of  God's  hum- 
ble, broken-hearted  people,  hungering  and  thirsting 
for  hohness,  and  seeking  crucifixion  to  the  world  ; 
the  word  of  God  their  study,  the  love  of  Christ  their 
theme,  and  Divine  conformity  their  aim,  soon  loses 
its  attraction  to  a  professing  man  walking  at  a  dis- 
tance from  God.  Yea,  we  might  enumerate  all  the 
spiritual  duties  familiar  to  the  child  of  God  ;  and  not 
one  will  be  found  to  possess  attraction  or  sweetness 
to  that  soul  passing  through  a  process  of  declension 
in  prayer.  Why  is  it,  reader,  that  meditation,  and 
the  research  of  God's  word,  and  holy  intercourse 
with  his  saints,  and  praise,  are  privileges  dry  and 
tasteless  to  thy  soul?  Thou  canst  turn  from  them 
with  loathing.  Any  engagements  but  these, — the 
calls  of  business,  worldly  company,  the  perusal  of  a 


DECLENSION    IN    PRAYER.  125 

novel,  will  satisfy  thee  !  Where  ait  thou ?  How 
hast  thou  declined  !  It  was  not  once  so.  O  how 
precious  in  the  first  love  of  thine  espousals  were  the 
moments  of  holy  abstraction  ! — how  eagerly  sought, 
and  richly  enjoyed,  was  the  communion  of  saints  ! — 
how  sweet  a  privilege  was  praise,  and  how  sacred  a 
duty  was  prayer!  Is  it  all  gone?  Is  it  all  winter 
with  thee  now  1  No  verdant  spot,  no  green  pasture, 
no  still  waters ?  O  return  again  to  prayer!  Thy 
sad  distance  from  God  is  the  secret  of  thy  soul's 
leanness.  The  withering  of  the  spirit  of  prayer  has 
withered  thy  grace,  and  with  it  all  spiritual  enjoy- 
ment of  the  means. 

A  falling  off  in  the  external  deportment  of  the 
believer,  is  a  necessary  and  often  a  certain  conse- 
(juence  of  a  declension  of  the  spirit  and  habit  of 
prayer.  The  lowliness,  self-oblivion,  softness  of 
walk,  and  exemplary  regard  for  the  honor  and  glory 
of  God,  of  the  prayerful  man,  are  often  succeeded 
by  loftiness  of  spirit  and  of  mien,  self-confidence,  a 
readiness  to  sit  in  judgment  upon  the  conduct  and 
infirmities  of  others,  a  cold  indifference  to  the  in- 
crease of  the  kingdom  of  Christ  and  the  conversion 
of  sinners,  and  a  carelessness  in  the  outward  deport- 
ment of  the  prayerless  man.  All  backsliding  has 
its  commencement  in  the  declension  of  prayer :  it 
may  date  its  beginning  at  the  throne  of  grace.  The 
restraining  of  prayer  before  God  was  the  first  step  in 
departure  ;  and  the  first  step  taken,  and  not  imme- 
diately retraced,  was  quickly  succeeded  by  others. 
The  path  of  a  backslider  from  God  is  always  down- 
ward :  the  descent  is  easy  and  rapid  :  the  velocity 
11* 


126  DECLENSION     IN    PRAYER. 

of  the  soul's  departure  increases  with  its  progress ; 
and  wl\en  a  professing  man  evinces  an  inchnation 
and  an  evidence  of  spiritual  declension,  there  are  not 
wanting  influences  ready  to  assist  him  on  in  his  de- 
parture. Satan,  the  subtle  and  sleepless  foe  of  the 
soul,  is  prepared  with  a  thousand  enticements  to 
smooth  the  downward  path  ;  the  world  appears  with 
some  new  attraction ;  sin  tastes  less  bitter,  and  ap- 
pears less  "  exceeding  sinful ;"  objects  of  sense  be- 
come familiar,  are  looked  at,  admired,  then  em- 
braced :  and  now  the  soul,  but  for  preserving  and 
restraining  grace,  has  taken  a  farewell  for  ever  of 
God.  Reader,  dost  thou  tremble  at  the  possibility  of 
ever  becoming  a  backslider  1  dost  thou  fear  a  fall  ? 
dost  thou  dread  the  thought  of  wounding  Jesus? 
then  restrain  not  prayer  before  God  ;  vigilantly  guard 
against  the  Jirsf  symptom  of  declension  in  this  holy- 
exercise,  or  if  that  symptom  has  already  appeared, 
haste  thee  to  the  dear  Physician,  who  alone  has 
power  to  arrest  its  progress,  and  heal  thy  soul. 

Aji  accumulation  of  daily  crosses,  seldom  fails  to 
follow  declension  in  prayer.  The  constant  exercise 
of  prayer  makes  light  every  burthen,  and  smooths 
every  rugged  step  of  a  child  of  God :  it  is  this  only 
that  keeps  down  his  trials  ;  not  that  he  is  ever  ex- 
empt from  them, — nay,  it  is  "  through  much  tribula- 
tion that  he  is  to  enter  the  kingdom  ;" — he  is  a  disci- 
ple of  the  cross,  his  religion  is  that  of  the  cross,  he  is 
a  follower  of  Him  who  died  upon  the  cross,  and  en- 
tire exemption  from  the  cross  he  never  expects  until 
he  passes  to  the  possession  of  the  crown.  But  he 
may  pray  doion  his  crosses :  prayer  will  lessen  their 


DECLENSION    IN    PRAYER.  127 

number,  and  will  mitigate  their  severity.  The  man 
whose  walk  is  far  from  God,  whose  frame  is  cold,  and 
worldly,  and  careless,  if  he  be  a  true  child  of  the 
covenant,  one  of  the  Lord's  family,  he  may  expect 
crosses  and  trials  to  increase  upon  every  step  he  ad- 
vances towards  the  kingdom.  Ah  !  little  do  many 
of  the  tried,  alHicted,  and  constantly  disappointed 
believers  think,  how  closely  related  are  these  very 
trials,  and  afliictions,  and  disappointments,  to  their 
restraining  of  prayer  before  God  :  every  step  seems 
attended  with  some  new  cross, — every  scheme  is 
blasted  by  some  adverse  wind, — every  effort  is  foiled, 
— disappointment  follows  disappointment,  wave  at- 
tends upon  wave, — nothing  they  attempt  prospers, 
all  they  enter  upon  fails, — and  everything  seems 
against  them.  O  !  could  we  pass  behind  the  scene, 
what  should  we  discover? — a  deserted  throne  of 
grace  !  Were  we  to  divulge  the  secret,  and  place  it 
in  the  form  of  a  charge  against  the  believer,  what 
would  it  be  ? — "  Thou  hast  restrained  prayer 
BEFORE  God  !"  The  scheme  was  framed  toithout 
'prayer ;  the  enterprise  was  entered  upon  without 
prayer  ;  the  effort  was  made  without  prayer ; — 
God  has  blown  upon  it,  and  all  has  come  to  nought. 
No  marvel ;  God  was  not  consulted, — the  Lord  was 
not  acknowledged,  his  permission  was  not  asked,  his 
wisdom  w^as  not  sought,  his  blessing  was  not  craved ; 
and  so  he  blew  upon  it  all !  The  precious  injunc- 
tion is, — "  Trust  in  the  Lord  with  all  thine  heart, 
and  lean  not  unto  thine  own  understanding.  In 
£*11  thy  ways  acknowledge  him,  and  he  shall  direct 
thy  paths."     Where  this  is  honored,  there  is  the  Di- 


128  DECLENSION    IN    PRAYER. 

vine  blessing  ;  where  it  is  slighted,  there  is  the  Divine 
displeasure. 

But  we  need  not  enlarge  ;  the  evils  resulting  from 
a  declension  of  prayer  are  sufficiently  obvious.  We 
have  shown  that  the  secret  of  a  happy  hfe,  and  the 
spring  of  a  holy  one,  are  in  a  close  walk  with  God  ; 
that  if  a  child  of  God  restrains  praj^er,  he  opens 
the  door  for  the  departure  of  every  grace,  and 
to  the  admission  of  every  sin :  when  these  state- 
ments have  been  seriously  and  prayerfully  pondered, 
let  the  reader  follow  us  to  the  consideration  of  those 
means  which  the  Lord  has  appointed  and  owned, 
for  the  REVIVAL  of  the  spirit  and  exercise  of  prayer 
in  the  believer. 

The  believer  shoidd  correctly  ascertain  the  true 
character  of  his  jirayers.  Are  they  lively  and 
spiritual?  are  they  the  exercises  of  the  heart,  or  of 
the  understanding  merely  ?  Are  they  the  breathings 
of  the  indwelling  Spirit,  or  the  cold  observance  of  a 
form  without  the  power  ?  Is  it  communion  and 
fellowship?  Is  it  the  filial  approach  of  a  child, 
rushing  with  confidence  and  affection  into  the  bosom 
of  a  Father,  and  sheltering  itself  there  in  every  hour 
of  need  ?  It  should  be  remembered  by  every  pro- 
fessing man,  that  there  is  a  great  difference  between 
prayer  and  praying;  we  mean,  between  the  formal 
observance  of  the  duty,  and  the  spiritual  character 
of  the  performance.  All  prayer  is  not  communion  ; 
and  here  a  man  may  be  greatly  and  awfully  de- 
ceived :  he  may  repeat  his  visits  to  the  throne  of 
grace,  and  go  and  come  without  having  exhaled  a 
single  breath  of  spiritual  prayer ;  there  may  be  no 


DECLENSION    IN    PRAYER.  129 

respiration  in  the  soul ;  all  is  formal,  cold,  and  life- 
less. This,  then,  is  the  first  step  to  a  revival  of  true 
prayer  in  the  soul.  Examine  the  character  of  your 
devotions ;  are  they  such  as  will  stand  the  test  of 
God's  word  ?  will  they  compare  with  the  holy 
breathings  of  David,  and  Job,  and  Solomon,  and 
the  New  Testament  saints?  are  they  the  breathings 
forth  of  tlie  life  of  God  within  you  ?  are  they  ever 
accompanied  with  filial  brokcnness,  lowliness  of 
spirit,  and  humble  and  contrite  confession  of  sin? 
See  well  to  your  prayers !  be  not  content  with  half- 
hearted devotions ;  be  not  satisfied  with  cold,  dull, 
formal  petitions.  Take  care  that  your  family 
prayers  degenerate  not  into  this, — there  is  danger 
here  ;  see  that  the  flame  burns  brightly,  and  rises 
high  on  that  sacred  altar, — that  your  breathings  to 
God  are  such  as  to  carry  conviction  to  the  minds  of 
your  children,  your  domestics,  and  your  friends,  that 
the  duty  in  which  they  are  engaged  is  the  most 
spiritual,  holy,  and  solemn  of  all  engagements ; 
tliey  will  form  their  view  of  prayer  by  your  per- 
formance of  it  at  the  domestic  altar.  Be  cautious 
that  you  beget  not  in  them  a  disgust  for  the  ex- 
ercise ;  if  their  minds  are  um'egenerate,  great  wis- 
dom and  deep  spirituality  are  needed  to  guard 
against  this ;  let  them  see  that  you  attach  a  great 
and  solemn  importatice  to  the  duty ;  be  not  hurried 
in  its  performance  ;  let  it  take  precedence  of  all  other 
engagements ;  nothuig  should  crowd  upon  it,  and 
thus  curtail  the  time  sacred  to  it  alone.  If  possible 
it  should  always  precede  the  morning  and  evening's 
repast ;    the  mind    is    thus  hallowed   with  solemn 


130  DECLENSION    IN    PRAYER. 

thought,  and  is  better  fitted  for  the  varied  engage- 
ments that  follow.  It  has  been  found  a  beneficial 
practice,  too,  to  supply  each  member  of  the  domestic 
circle  with  a  Bible,  each  in  succession  reading  a 
verse  of  the  chapter,  or  else  following  the  individual 
conducting  the  devotional  exercise;  this  will  pre- 
vent the  roving  eye,  and  will  check  distraction  of 
thought,  by  concentrating  the  mind  upon  the  portion 
that  is  read.  An  occasional  comment,  explaining  a 
term,  or  elucidating  a  truth,  or  reconciling  an  ap- 
parent discrepancy,  will  often  impart  increased 
interest  and  profit  to  the  service.  Should  there  be 
no  godly y«^/ier  at  the  head  of  a  family,  let  not  the 
Christian  mother  siirink  from  the  discharge  of  this 
engagement :  the  word  of  God  is  on  her  side— the 
grace  of  Christ  Jesus  is  on  her  side — God  himself  is 
on  her  side;  let  her  erect  the  family  altar  in  the 
fear  of  God  and  in  the  strength  of  Jesus, — around  it 
let  her  gather  her  children  and  her  domestics,  and  let 
her  be  the  priestess  that  offers  up  the  morning  and 
the  evening  sacrifice:  it  is  her  solemn  duty, — and  for 
the  discharge  of  every  duty,  the  Lord  has  promised 
to  impart  all-sufficient  grace.     2  Cor.  xii.  9. 

A  further  step  in  the  revival  of  true  prayer  is,  to 
become  more  thoroughly  acquainted  with  our  many 
and  varied  necessities.  It  is  the  knowledge  of  his 
need  that  gives  true  eloquence  to  the  petition  of  the 
beggar ;  a  sense  of  destitution,  of  absolute  want,  of 
actual  starvation,  imparts  energy  to  his  plea,  and 
perseverance  in  its  attainment ;  his  language  is,  "  I 
must  have  bread,  or  I  die."  This  is  just  what  we 
want  the  child  of  God  to  feel :  what  is  he  but  a  pen- 


DECLENSION    IN    PRAYER.  131 

sioner  on  God's  daily  bounty?  what  resources  has  he 
within  himself? — none  whatever ;  and  what  is  he 
without  God  ? — poor  indeed.  Now,  in  proportion  as 
he  becomes  acquainted  with  his  real  case,  his  utter 
destitution,  he  will  besiege  the  throne  of  grace,  and 
take  no  denial.  He  must  know  his  wants,  he  must 
know  what  grace  he  is  deficient  in,  what  easy  be- 
setting sin  clings  to  him,  what  infirmities  encompass 
him,  what  portion  of  the  Spirit's  work  is  declining 
in  his  soul,  where  he  is  the  weakest  and  the  most 
exposed  to  the  attacks  of  the  enemy,  and  what  yet 
he  lacks  to  perfect  him  in  all  the  will  of  God  ;  let 
him  examine  himself  honestly,  and  know  his  real 
condition.  This  will  endear  the  throne  of  grace, 
will  stir  up  the  slumbering  spirit  of  prayer,  will  sup- 
ply him  with  errands  to  God,  and  give  argument, 
energy,  and  perseverance  to  his  suit.  It  was  his  deep 
and  pressing  sense  of  need,  that  imparted  such  bold- 
ness and  power  to  the  wrestlings  of  Jacob :  "  I  will 
not  let  thee  go,  except  thou  bless  me  ;"  and  the  Lord 
said,  "  Thy  name  shall  be  called  no  more  Jacob,  but 
Israel ;  for  as  a  prince  hast  thou  power  with  God 
and  with  men,  and  hast  prevailed."  Thus  imitate 
the  patriarch  ;  begin  the  day  with  thinking  over 
what  you  may  possibly  need  before  its  close  ;  wdiether 
any  cross  is  anticipated,  or  any  temptation  is  appre- 
hended, or  any  danger  to  which  you  may  be  exposed  ; 
and  then  go  and  wrestle  for  the  needed  and  the  pro- 
mised grace.  O  it  is  a  great  mercy  to  have  an 
errand  that  sends  us  to  God  ;  and  when  we  remem- 
ber what  a  full  heart  of  love  he  has,  what  a  readi- 
ness to  hear,  what  promptness  in  all   his  answers, 


132  DECLENSION    IN    PRAYER. 

what  entering  into  the  minutest  circumstance  of  a 
believer's  history, —  how  it  chides  the  reluctance 
and  rebukes  the  unbelief  that  we  perpetually  mani' 
fest  in  availing  ourselves  of  this  most  costly,  holy, 
and  precious  of  all  our  privileges  ! 

There  should  he  the  searching  out  and  the  re- 
moval of  that  which  hinders  prayer.  Many  things 
weaken  true  prayer :  unsubdued  sin — unrepented 
sin — unpardoned  sin,  we  mean  the  secret  sense  of  it 
upon  the  conscience — world ly-mindedness — light  and 
trifling  conversation,  vain  disputations,  much  and 
frequent  intercourse  either  with  unconverted  indi- 
viduals or  cold  and  formal  professors  ;  all  these  com- 
bined, or  any  single  one,  will,  if  suffered  to  prevail, 
unfit  the  mind  for  converse  with  God,  and  cause  a 
decay  of  the  spirit  of  prayer  in  the  soul.  Regard 
that  as  injurious  which  touches  the  devotional  frame 
of  your  mind;  which  abridges  the  hour  of  prayer, 
and  removes  the  fine  edge  of  its  holy  enjoyment. 

But  that  for  whidi  we  most  earnestly  plead,  and 
which  will  tend  more  than  all  beside  to  the  revival 
of  true  prayer  in  the  believer,  is,  a  'more  enlarged 
commwiication  of  the  Holy  iSpirifs  gracious  influ- 
ence. Here  lies  the  grand  source  and  secret  of  all 
true,  spiritual,  believing,  persevering,  and  prevailing 
prayer ;  it  is  the  lack  of  this  that  is  the  cause  of  the 
dulness,  and  formality  and  reluctance,  that  so  fre- 
quently mark  the  exercise.  Tlie  saints  of  God 
honor  not  sufficiently  the  Spirit  in  this  important 
part  of  his  work  ;  tbey  too  much  lose  sight  of  the 
truth,  that  of  all  true  prayer  he  is  the  Author  and 
the  Sustainer ;  and  the  consequence  is,  and  ever  will 


DECLENSION    IN    PRAYER.  133 

be,  self-sufficiency  and  cold  formality  in  the  dis- 
charge, and  ultimate  neglect  of  the  duty  altogether. 
But,  let  the  promise  be  pleaded,  "I  will  pour  upon 
the  house  of  David,  and  upon  the  inhabitants  of 
Jerusalem,  the  Spirit  of  grace  and  of  supplication ;" 
let  the  Holy  Ghost  be  acknowledged  as  the  Author, 
and  constantly  sought  as  the  Sustainer  of  this  holy 
exercise ;  let  the  saint  of  God  feel  that  he  knows 
not  what  he  should  pray  for  as  he  ought,  that  the 
Spirit  itself  maketh  intercession  for  us  with  groan- 
ings  which  cannot  be  uttered,  and  that  God  knows 
the  mind  of  the  Spirit,  because  he  maketh  interces- 
sion according  to  his  will ;  and  what  an  impulse  will 
this  give  to  prayer !  what  new  life  will  it  impart, 
what  mighty  energy,  what  unction,  and  what  power 
with  God  !  Seek,  then,  with  all  your  blessings,  this, 
the  richest  and  the  pledge  of  all,  the  haptlsm  of  the 
Spirit ;  rest  not  short  of  it ;  you  are  nothing  as  a 
professing  man  without  it;  your  religion  is  hfeless, 
your  devotion  is  formal,  your  spirit  is  unctionless, 
you  have  no  moral  power  with  God  or  with  man, 
apart  from  the  baptism  of  the  Holy  Ghost ;  seek  it, 
wrestle  for  it,  agonise  for  it,  as  transcendently  more 
precious  than  every  other  mercy.  Submerged  in 
his  quickening  and  reviving  influences,  what  a 
different  Christian  will  )'ou  be  !  how  differently  will 
you  pray,  how  differently  will  you  live,  and  how 
differently  will  you  die  !  Is  the  spirit  of  prayer  lan- 
guishing ?  is  its  exercise  becoming  irksome  ?  is 
closet  devotion  abandoned  ?  is  the  duty  in  any  form 
becoming  a  task  ? — O  rouse  thee  to  the  seeking  of 
the  baptism  of  the  Spirit !  this  alone  will  stay  the 
12 


134  DECLENSION    IN    PRAYER. 

progress,  of  thy  declension,  this  will  revive  the  true 
spirit  of  prayer  within  thee,  and  this  will  give  to  its 
exercise  sweetness,  pleasantness,  and  power.  God 
has  promised  the  bestowment  of  the  blessing,  and  he 
will  never  disappoint  the  soul  that  seeks  it. 

The  outpouring  of  the  Spirit  of  prayer,  too,  is 
needed  to  give  frequency,  and  life,  and  directness,  to 
our  petitions  in  behalf  of  the  church  and  the  world. 
The  word  of  God  is  explicit  on  this  point.  Thus 
for  all  classes  and  conditions  of  men :  "  I  exhort, 
therefore,  that,  first  of  all,  supplications,  prayers,  in- 
tercessions, and  giving  of  thanks,  be  made  for  all 
men  ;  for  kings,  and  for  all  that  are  in  authority  ; 
that  we  may  live  a  quiet  and  peaceable  life  in  all 
godliness  and  honesty.  For  this  is  good  and  accept- 
able in  the  sight  of  God  our  Saviour."  1  Tim.  ii. 
1 — 3.  And  thus,  too,  for  the  church  of  Christ  : 
"  Pray  for  the  peace  of  Jerusalem  :  they  shall  pros- 
per that  love  thee."  Psalm  cxxii.  6.  Intercessory 
prayer  one  for  the  other  is  urged  :  "  Confess  your 
faults  one  to  another,  and  pray  one  for  another,  that 
ye  may  be  healed.  The  effectual  fervent  prayer  of 
a  righteous  man  availeth  much."  James  v.  16. 
And  'dXsofor  the  mitiisters  of  the  Gospel :  "  Breth- 
ren, pray  for  us."  Heb.  xiii.  18.  These  are  solemn 
injunctions  :  who  can  read  them  without  a  secret 
consciousness  of  having  slighted  or  overlooked  them  ? 
But  what  is  to  give  intensity,  and  power,  and  fixed- 
ness, and  prevalency,  to  our  prayers  for  the  church 
of  Christ,  and  in  behalf  of  a  world  still  under  the 
dominion  and  supremacy  of  sin,  but  a  large  effusion 
of  the  Spirit  of  prayer  7     Contracted  will  be  our 


DECLENSION    IN    PRAYER.  135 

sympathies,  selfish  our  desires,  and  cold  and  general 
our  petitions,  if  not  baptized  in  the  Spirit  of  prayer. 
Tiie  Holy  Ghost,  descending  as  on  the  day  of  Pen- 
tecost, filling,  overwhelming,  and  saturating  us  with 
his  influence,  O  how  will  the  pressing  necessities  of 
the  church,  and  the  moral  claims  of  the  world,  then 
rise  before  us  in  all  their  eloquent  pleadings  !  We 
will  close  the  present  chapter  with  a  few  remarks  of 
a  practical  tendency. 

In  all  true  prayer,  great  stress  should  he  laid  on 
the  blood  of  Jesus :  perhaps  no  evidence  distin- 
guishes a  declension  in  the  power  and  spirituality  of 
prayer  more  strongly  than  an  overlooking  of  this. 
Where  the  atoning  blood  is  kept  out  of  view  ;  not 
recognized,  not  pleaded,  not  wrestled  with,  not  made 
the  grand  plea,  there  is  a  deficiency  of  power  in 
prayer.  Words  are  nothing,  fluency  of  expression 
nothing,  niceties  of  language  and  brilliancy  of 
thought  nothing,  and  even  apparent  fervor  nothing, 
where  die  blood  of  Christ, — the  new  and  the  living 
way  of  access  to  God,  the  grand  plea  that  moves 
Omnipotence,  that  gives  admission  within  the  holy 
of  holies, — is  slighted,  undervalued,  and  not  made 
the  groundwork  of  every  petition.  Oh,  how  much 
is  this  overlooked  in  our  prayers, — how  is  the  aton- 
ing blood  of  Immanuel  slighted  !  how  little  mention 
we  hear  of  it  in  the  sanctuary,  in  the  pulpit,  in  the 
social  circle  ;  whereas  it  is  this  that  makes  prayer 
what  it  is  with  God  !  All  prayer  is  acceptable  with 
God,  and  only  so,  as  it  comes  up  perfumed  with  the 
blood  of  Christ ;  all  prayer  is  answered  as  it  urges 
the  blood  of  Christ  as  its  plea  :  it  is  the  blood  of 


136  DECLENSION    IN    PRAYER, 

Christ  that  satisfies  justice,  and  meets  all  the  de- 
mands of  the  law  against  us  ;  it  is  the  blood  of 
Christ  that  purchases  and  brings  down  every  bless- 
ing into  the  soul ;  it  is  the  blood  of  Christ  that  sues 
for  the  fulfilment  of  his  last  will  and  testament, 
every  precious  legacy  of  which  comes  to  us  solely  on 
account  of  his  death ;  this  it  is,  too,  that  gives  us 
boldness  at  the  throne  of  grace,  — "  Having  boldness 
to  enter  into  the  hohest  by  the  blood  of  Jesus." 
How  can  a  poor  sinner  dare  approach  without  this  ? 
how  can  he  look  up,  how  can  he  ask,  how  can  he 
present  himself  before  a  holy  God,  but  as  he  brings 
in  the  hand  of  faith  the  precious  blood  of  Jesus  ? 
Out  of  Christ,  God  can  hold  no  communication  with 
us ;  all  intercourse  is  suspended,  every  avenue  of 
approach  is  closed,  all  blessing  is  withheld.  God 
hath  crowned  his  dearly  beloved  Son,  and  he  will 
have  us  crown  him  too  ;  and  never  do  we  place  a 
brighter  crown  upon  his  blessed  head,  than  when  we 
plead  his  finished  righteousness  as  the  ground  of  our 
acceptance,  and  his  atoning  blood  as  our  great  argu- 
ment for  the  bestowment  of  all  blessing  with  God. 
If,  then,  dear  reader,  you  feel  yourself  to  be  a  poor, 
vile,  unholy  sinner  ;  if  a  backslider,  whose  feet  have 
wandered  from  the  Lord,  in  whose  soul  the  spirit  of 
prayer  has  declined,  and  yet  still  feel  some  secret 
longing  to  return,  and  dare  not,  because  so  vile,  so 
unholy,  so  backsliding ;  yet  you  may  return,  "  hav- 
ing boldness  to  enter  into  the  holiest  by  the  blood  of 
Jesus."  Come,  for  the  blood  of  Christ  pleads  ;  re- 
turn, for  the  blood  of  Christ  gives  you  a  welcome  : 


DECLENSION    IN    PRAYKR.  137 

"  If  any  man  sin,  we  have  an  advocate  wiili  the 
Father,  Jesus  Christ  the  righteous." 

Forget  not  that  the  season  of  trial  and  of  be- 
reavement is  often  the  sanctified  occasion  of  a  revival 
of  prayer  in  the  soul.  The  Lord  has  marked  your 
wanderings  ;  he  has  liad  his  eye  upon  the  declension 
of  your  soul.  That  voice,  always  so  pleasant  to  his 
ear,  has  ceased  to  call  upon  him  :  and  now  he  would 
recover  thee  ;  he  would  hear  that  voice  again.  And' 
how  will  he  effect  it  ?  He  causes  you  to  "  pass 
under  the  rod,"  sends  some  sore  trial,  lays  on  thee 
some  weighty  cross,  brings  trouble  and  sorrow  into 
thy  soul,  and  then  thou  criest  unto  him,  and  dost  be- 
siege the  mercy-seat.  0  how  eagerly  is  God  sought, 
how  attractive  and  how  precious  does  the  throne  of 
grace  become,  when  the  soul  is  thus  lead  into  deep 
waters  of  trial !  No  longer  silent,  no  longer  dumb, 
the  behever  calls  upon  God,  pleads  with  "  strong 
crying  and  tears,"  wrestles  and  agonizes,  and  thus 
the  slumbering  spirit  of  prayer  is  stirred  up  and  re- 
vived in  the  soul.  O  sweet  affliction,  O  precious 
discipline,  that  brings  back  the  wandering  soul  to  a 
closer  and  a  holier  walk  with  God  ! 

Again  we  exhort  the  believer,  guard  against  the 
least  declension  in  prayer ;  let  the  first  unfavorable 
symptom  that  appears  alarm  you ;  go  to  the  Lord 
in  your  worst  frames ;  stay  not  from  him  until  you 
get  a  good  one.  Satan's  grand  argument  to  keep  a 
soul  from  prayer,  is, — '  Go  not  with  that  cold  and 
insensible  frame  ;  go  not  with  that  hard  and  sinful 
heart ;  stay  until  you  are  more  fit  to  approach  God.' 
And  listening  to  this  specious  reasoning,  many  poor, 
12* 


138  DECLENSION    IN    PRAYER. 

distressed,  burthened,  longing  souls  have  been  kept 
from  the  throne  of  grace,  and  consequently  from  all 
comfort  and  consolation.  But  the  Gospel  says, — ■ 
'  Go  in  your  very  worst  frames ;'  Christ  says,— 
'  Come  just  as  you  are :'  and  every  promise  and 
every  example  but  encourages  the  sovd  to  repair  to 
the  cross  whatever  be  its  frame  or  condition. 


CHAPTER   V. 

DECLENSION    IN    CONNEXION    WITH    DOCTRINAL    ERROR. 

"  Sanctify  them  through  thy  truth." — John  xvii.  17. 

God  has  been  graciously  pleased  to  appoint  his 
church  the  great  conservator  of  his  truth,  and  his 
truth  the  especial  medium  of  sanctification  to  his 
church ;  there  is  a  close  and  beautiful  relation  be- 
tween the  two.  The  church  may  be  compared  to 
the  golden  lamp  which  contains  the  sacred  oil, 
which,  in  its  turn,  feeds  the  flame  of  its  light  and 
holiness.  The  church  is  to  guard  with  a  jealous 
and  vigilant  eye  the  purity  of  the  truth,  while  the 
truth  is  to  beautify  and  sanctify  the  ark  which  pre- 
serves it ;  compare  1  Tim.  iii.  15 ;  John  xvii.  17. 
Thus  there  is  a  close  relation,  and  a  reciprocal  in- 
fluence constantly  existing  and  exerted,  between  the 
church  of  Christ  and  the  truth  of  God. 

To  this  thought  add  yet  another:  every  indi- 
vidual believer  in  Jesus  is  himself  a  subject,  and 
therefore  a  witness,  of  the  truth  ;  he  has  been 
quickened,  called,  renewed,  and  partially  sanctified 
through  the  instrumentality  of  God's  revealed  truth  : 
"  Of  his  own  will  begat  he  us  with  the  word  of 
truth."  James  i.  18.  "  For  the  truth's  sake  which 
dwelleth  in  us."  2  John  2.  "  Ye  are  my  witnesses,' 
saith  the  Lord."     Here  is  unfolded  one  of  the  most 


140  DECLENSION    IN    CONNEXION 

solemn  and  affecting  truths  touching-  the  character 
and  individual  responsibility  of  a  child  of  God.  He 
is  a  subject  of  truth,  he  is  a  repository  of  the  truth, 
and  he  is  a  witness  for  the  truth  ;  yea,  he  is  the 
only  living  witness  to  the  truth  which  God  has  on 
earth.  The  world  he  hves  in  is  a  dark,  polluted, 
God-blaspheming,  Christ-denying,  truth-despising 
world.  Tiie  saints  who  have  been  called  out  of  it 
according  to  his  eternal  purpose  and  love,  and  by  his 
sovereign,  distinguishing,  and  free  grace,  are  the 
only  lights  and  the  only  salt  in  the  midst  of  this 
moral  darkness  and  corruption.  Here  and  there  a 
light  glinmiers,  irradiating  the  gloomy  sphere  in 
which  it  moves ;  here  and  there  a  spot  of  verdure 
appears,  relieving  the  arid  and  barren  desolation  by 
which  it  is  surrounded.  These  are  the  saints  of  the 
Most  High,  the  witness  of  the  Divine  character,  the 
omnipotent  power,  and  the  holy  tendency,  of  God's 
blessed  truth.  Let  the  saints  of  God,  then,  solemnly 
weigh  this  affecting  fact,  that  though  the  written 
word  and  the  accompanying  Spirit  are  God's  wit- 
nesses in  the  world,  yet  they  are  the  only  living 
exemplifications  of  the  powder  of  the  truth,  and  as 
such,  are  earnestly  exhorted  to  be  "  blameless  and 
harmless,  the  sons  of  God  without  rebuke,  in  the 
midst  of  a  crooked  and  perverse  nation,  among 
whom  ye  shine  as  ligiits  in  the  world."  Phil.  ii.  15. 
The  first  point  on  which  it  is  our  duty  to  touch  in 
opening  the  subject  of  this  chapter,  is,  tite  holy  ten- 
dency of  Divine  truth,  or,  the  inti'mate  relation  be- 
tween truth  and  holiness.  There  are  two  admitted 
axioms  in  every  department  of  human  science,  which 


WITH  DOCTRINAL  ERROR.  141 

will  apply  with  equal  force  to  the  matter  before  us : — 
viz.,  that  an  effect  cannot  exist  without  a  cause,  and 
that  a  cause  does  not  operate  without  the  use  of 
means.  liCt  these  admitted  propositions  form  the 
basis  of  our  reasoning  upon  this  important  subject. 
God  has  designed  the  sanctification  of  his  people  ;  he 
has  appointed  his  truth  as  the  great  instrument  of 
effecting  their  sanctification  ;  and  in  order  to  accom- 
phsh  this,  he  has  declared,  that  his  truth  must  dwell 
in  the  heart  in  the  same  richness,  fulness,  and  purity, 
with  which  it  is  revealed  in  his  word. 

In  sustaining  our  proposition,  tliat  the  truths  of 
the  Gospel  are  the  grand  means  which  God  employs 
for  the  sanctification  of  his  people,  let  us  be  distinctly 
miderstood  in  the  outset,  as  disclaiming  all  belief  in 
the  mere  power  of  the  truth  itself  to  produce  holiness. 
This  is  one  of  the  grand  errors  of  modern  divinity 
from  which  we  unhesitatingly  dissent,  and  which  we 
sternly  repudiate.  The  mere  presentation  of  truth 
to  the  unrenewed  mind,  either  in  the  form  of  threat- 
ening, or  promise,  or  motive,  can  never  produce  any 
saving  or  sanctifying  effect.  The  soul  of  man  in  its 
imrenewed  state,  is  represented  as  spiritually  dead ; 
insensible  to  all  hol)'^,  spiritual  motion.  Now  upon 
such  a  mind,  what  impression  is  to  be  produced  by 
the  mere  holding  up  of  truth  before  its  eye  ?  What 
life,  what  emotion,  what  effect  will  be  accomplished  T 
As  well  might  we  spread  out  the  pictured  canvas 
before  the  glazed  eye  o^  a  corpse,  and  expect  that  by 
the  beauty  of  the  design,  and  the  brilhancy  of  the 
coloring,  and  the  genius  of  the  execution,  we  would 
animate  the  body  with  life,   and  heave  the  bosom 


142  DECLENSION    IN    CONNEXION 

with  emotion,  and  cause  the  eye  to  swim  with  de- 
light, as  to  look  for  similar  moral  effects  to  result 
from  the  mere  holding  up  to  view  Divine  truth  before 
a  carnal  mind,  '^  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins."  And 
yet  there  are  those  who  maintain  the  doctrine,  that 
Divine  truth  unaccompanied  by  any  extraneous 
power,  can  effect  all  these  wonders  !  Against  such 
a  theory  we  would  simply  place  one  passage  from 
the  sacred  word  :  "  Except  a  man  be  born  again,  he 
cannot  see  the  kingdom  of  God." 

But  the  power  of  the  truth  for  wliich  we  plead,  is 
that  which  results  from  the  attending  energy  and 
demonstration  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  The  sacred  word, 
inspired  though  it  be,  is  but  a  dead  letter,  unclothed 
with  the  life-giving  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  Awful 
as  are  the  truths  it  unfolds,  solemn  as  are  the  revela- 
tions it  discloses,  toucliing  as  are  the  scenes  it  por- 
trays, and  persuasive  as  are  the  motives  it  supplies, 
yet,  when  left  to  its  own  unaided  operation.  Divine 
truth  is  utterly  impotent  to  the  production  of  spiritual 
life,  love,  and  holiness  in  the  soul  of  man.  Its  influ- 
ence must  necessarily  be  passive,  possessing  as  it 
does  no  actual  power  of  its  own,  and  depending 
upon  a  Divine  influence  extraneous  from  itself,  to 
render  its  teaching  efficacious.  The  three  thousand 
who  were  converted  on  the  day  of  Pentecost,  were 
doubtless  awakened  under  one  sermon,  and  some 
would  declare  it  was  the  power  of  the  truth  which 
wrought  those  wonders  of  grace.  With  this  we  per- 
fectly agree,  only  adding,  tiiat  it  was  truth  in  the 
mighty  hand  of  God  which  pricked  them  to  the 
heart,  and  wrung  from   them  the  cry,   "  Men  and 


WITH  do(;trinal  error.  143 

brethren,  what  shall  we  do?"  The  Eternal  Spirit 
was  the  efficient  cause,  and  the  preached  truth  but 
the  instrument  employed,  to  produce  the  effect :  but 
for  his  accompanying  and  effectual  power,  they 
would,  as  multitudes  do  now,  have  turned  their 
backs  upon  the  sermon  of  Peter,  though  it  was  full 
of  Christ  crucified,  deriding  the  truth,  and  rejecting 
the  Saviour  of  whom  it  spake.  But  it  pleased  God 
in  the  sovereignty  of  his  will,  to  call  them  by  his 
grace,  and  this  he  did  by  the  effectual,  omnipotent 
power  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  through  the  instrumental- 
ity of  a  preached  Gospel. 

Thus,  then,  we  plead  for  a  personal  experimental 
acquaintance  with,  and  reception  of,  the  truth,  ere  it 
can  produce  anything  like  holiness  in  the  soul. 
That  it  has  found  an  entrance  to  the  judgment 
merely,  will  not  do  ;  advancing  not  further, — arrest- 
ing not  the  will,  touching  not  the  heart,  renewing 
not  the  whole  soul, — it  can  never  erect  the  empire 
of  holiness  in  man  ;  the  reign  of  sanctification  can- 
not have  commenced.  The  mental  eye  may  be 
clear,  the  moral  eye  closed;  the  mind  all  light,  the 
heart  all  dark ;  the  creed  orthodox,  and  the  whole 
hfe  at  variance  with  the  creed.  Such  is  the  discord- 
ant effect  of  Divine  truth,  simply  settled  in  the  hu- 
man understanding,  unaccompanied  by  the  power  of 
the  Holy  Ghost  in  the  heart.  But  let  a  man  receive 
the  truth  in  his  heart  by  the  power  of  God  himself; 
let  it  enter  there,  disarming  and  dethroning  the  strong 
man  ;  let  Jesus  enter,  and  the  Holy  Spirit  take  pos- 
session, renewing,  sealing,  and  sanctifying  the  soul ; 


144  DECLENSION    IN    CONNEXION 

and  then  we  may  look  for  the   "  fruits  of  hoUness 
which  are  unto  eternal  life." 

Now  that  it  is  the  natural  tendency  of  Divine 
truth  thus  received  into  the  heart,  to  produce  holi- 
ness, a  moment's  reference  to  the  word  of  God  will 
show.  The  design  of  the  whole  plan  of  redemp- 
tion, was  to  secure  the  highest  holiness  and  happi- 
ness to  the  creature  ;  and  when  the  Gospel  comes 
with  the  power  of  God  unto  the  salvation  of  the 
soul,  this  end  is  pre-eminently  secured.  The  re- 
newed man  is  a  pardoned  man  ;  the  pardoned  man 
becomes  a  holy  man ;  and  the  holy  man  is  a  happy 
man.  Look,  then,  at  God's  word,  and  trace  the 
tendency  of  every  doctrine,  precept,  promise,  and 
threatening,  and  mark  the  holy  influence  of  each. 
To  select,  for  example,  a  few  of  the  distinguishing 
doctrines  of  grace.  Take  the  doctrine  of  God's  ever- 
erlasting  love  to  his  people,  as  seeti  in  their  elec- 
tion to  eternal  life.  How  holy  is  the  tendency  of 
this  truth  !  "  Blessed  be  the  God  and  Father  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who  hath  blessed  us  with  all 
spiritual  blessings  in  heavenly  places  in  Christ ;  ac- 
cording as  he  hath  chosen  us  in  him  before  the  foun- 
dation of  the  world,  that  we  sJioidd  he  holy  and 
without  blame  before  hitn  in  loveP  Eph.  i.  3,  4, 
Let  not  my  reader  turn  from  this  glorious  doctrine, 
because  he  may  find  it  irreconcilable  with  others  that 
he  may  hold,  or  because  the  mists  of  prejudice  may 
long  have  veiled  it  from  his  mind :  it  is  a  revealed 
doctrine,  and  therefore  to  be  fully  received  ;  it  is  a 
holy  doctrine,  and  therefore  to  be  ardently  loved. 
Received  in  the  heart  by  the  teaching  of  the  Holy 


WITH  DOCTRINAL  ERROR.  145 

Ghostj  it  lays  the  pride  of  man  in  the  dust,  knocks 
from  beneath  the  soul  all  ground  for  self-glorying, 
and  expands  tiie  mind  with  the  most  exalted  views 
of  the  glory,  grace  and  love  of  Jehovah.  He  who 
receives  the  doctrine  of  electing  love  in  his  heart  by 
the  power  of  the  Spirit,  bears  about  with  him  the 
material  of  a  holy  walk  ;  its  tendency  is  to  humble, 
abase,  and  sanctify  the  man. 

Thus  holy,  too,  is  the  revealed  doctrine  of  God's 
free^  sovereign,  and  distinguishing'  grace.  The 
tendency  of  this  truth  is  most  sanctifying  :  for  a 
man  to  feel  that  God  alone  hath  made  him  to  differ 
from  another — that  what  he  has,  he  has  received — 
that  by  the  free,  distinguishing  grace  of  God,  he  is, 
what  he  is, — is  a  truth,  when  experienced  in  the 
heart,  surely  of  the  most  holy  influence.  How  it 
lays  the  axe  at  the  root  of  self !  how  it  stains  the 
pride  of  human  glory,  and  hushes  the  whispers  of 
vain  boasting  !  It  lays  the  renewed  sinner,  where 
he  ought  ever  to  lie,  in  the  dust ;  and  places  the 
crown,  where  it  alone  ought  to  shine,  bright  and  glo- 
rious, upon  the  head  of  sovereign  mercy.  "  Lord, 
why  me 7  I  was  far  from  thee  by  wicked  works  ;  I 
was  the  least  of  my  Father's  house,  and  of  all,  the 
most  unworthy  and  unlikely  object  of  thy  love  :  and 
yet  thy  mercy  sought  me, — thy  grace  selected  me 
out  of  all  the  rest,  and  made  me  a  miracle  of  its 
omnipotent  power.  Lord,  to  what  can  I  refer  this, 
but  to  thy  mere  mercy,  thy  sovereign  and  free  grace, 
entirely  apart  from  all  worth  or  worthiness  that  thou 
didst  see  in  me  ?  Take,  therefore,  my  body,  soul, 
and  spirit,  and  let  them  be,  in  time  and  through 
13 


146  DECLENSION    IN    CONNEXION 

eternity,  a  holy  temple  to  thy  glory."  Thus  "  the 
grace  of  God,  that  bringeth  salvation,  liath  appeared 
to  all  men,  teaching  us,  that  denying  ungodhness 
and  worldly  lusts,  we  should  live  soberly,  righteously, 
and  godly,  in  this  present  evil  world."  And  so 
might  we  pass  on  through  all  the  kindred  doctrines 
of  grace,  were  it  necessary,  showing  that  the  saiic- 
tification  of  the  believer  is  their  great  end  and  ten- 
dency. 

All  the  precepts,  too,  are  on  the  side  of  holiness. 
"  If  ye  love  me,  keep  my  commandments  ;"  "  Love 
not  the  world,  nor  the  things  of  the  world  ;"  "  Come 
out  of  the  world,  and  be  ye  separate,  and  touch  not 
the  unclean  thing  ;"  "  Watch  and  pray  ;"  "  Pray 
without  ceasing  ;"  "  Love  as  brethren  ;"  "  Be  ye 
holy,  for  I  am  holy ;"  "  God  hath  not  called  us  unto 
uncleanness,  but  unto  holiness ;"  "  That  ye  might 
walk  worthy  of  the  Lord  unto  all  pleasing,  being 
fruitful  in  every  good  work,  and  increasing  in  the 
knowledge  of  God."  Holy  precepts !  May  the 
Eternal  Spirit  engrave  them  deep  upon  our  hearts  ! 

Not  less  sanctifying  in  their  tendency  are  those 
"  exceeding  great  and  precious  promises''  which  the 
word  of  truth  contains.  "  Having,  therefore,  these 
promises,  dearly  beloved,  let  us  cleanse  ourselves 
from  all  filthiness  of  the  flesh  and  spirit,  perfecting 
holiness  in  the  fear  of  God." 

Equally  holy  is  the  tendency  of  the  Divine 
threateyiings.  "  The  day  of  the  Lord  will  come  as 
a  thief  in  the  night ;  in  the  which  the  heavens 
shall  pass  away  with  a  great  noise,  and  the  elements 
shall  melt  with  fervent  heat,  the  earth  also  and  the 


WITH  DOCTRINAL  ERROR.  147 

works  that  are  therein  shall  be  burned  up.  Seeing, 
then,  that  all  these  things  shall  be  dissolved,  what 
manner  of  persons  ought  ye  to  be  in  all  holy  con- 
versation and  godliness !  Nevertheless  we,  according 
to  his  promise,  look  for  new  heavens  and  a  new 
earth,  wherein  dwelleth  righteousness.  Wherefore, 
beloved,  seeing  that  ye  look  for  such  things,  be 
diligent  that  ye  may  be  found  of  him  in  peace, 
without  spot,  and  blameless."  Thus  holy  and 
sanctifying  are  the  nature  and  the  effect  of  Divine 
truth.  Il  is  in  its  nature  and  properties  most  holy  ; 
it  comes  from  a  holy  God  ;  and  whenever  and 
wherever  it  is  received  in  the  heart,  as  the  good  and 
incorruptible  seed  of  the  kingdom,  it  produces  that 
which  is  in  accordance  with  its  own  nature — holi- 
ness. As  is  the  tree,  so  are  the  fruits ;  as  is  the 
cause,  so  are  the  effects.  It  brings  down  and  lays 
low  the  high  thoughts  of  man,  by  revealing  to  him 
the  character  of  God  ;  it  convinces  him  of  his  deep 
guilt  and  awful  condemnation,  by  exhibiting  the 
Divine  law  ;  it  unfolds  to  him  God's  hatred  of  sin, 
his  justice  in  punishing  and  iiis  mercy  in  pardoning 
it,  by  unfolding  to  his  view  the  cross  of  Christ ;  and 
taking  entire  possession  of  the  soul,  it  implants  new 
principles,  supplies  new  motives,  gives  a  new  end, 
begets  new  joys,  and  inspires  new  hopes, — in  a 
word,  diffuses  itself  through  the  whole  moral  man, 
changes  it  into  the  same  image,  and  transforms  it 
into  "  an  habitation  of  God  through  the  Spirit." 

Now  it  will  require  no  labored  or  lengthened  dis- 
cussion to  show,  that  the  nature  and  tendency  of 
error  must  be  opposite  to  that  of  truth  ;   for  it  is 


148  DECLENSION    IN    CONNEXION 

impossible  that  two  things  so  different  in  their 
natures  should  be  capable  of  producing  the  same 
effects.  If  the  nature  and  the  tendeney  of  truth 
are  to  promote  holiness,  it  must  be  the  nature  and 
the  tendency  of  error  to  promote  unholiness ;  if  the 
one  tends  to  humble  the  pride  of  man,  to  diminish 
him  in  his  own  eyes,  to  correct  the  evils  of  his  fallen 
nature,  to  break  the  power  of  corruption,  and  to 
introduce  him  into  the  holy  liberty  of  the  child  of 
God, — for  '  if  the  truth  makes  him  free,  then  is  he 
free  indeed,' — surely  the  other  tends  to  foster  his 
proud  conceit  of  himself,  to  beget  a  lofty  view  of  his 
own  gifts  and  attainments,  to  lessen  his  views  of 
sin's  exceeding  sinfulness,  and,  lowering  the  motive 
and  weakening  the  power  of  holiness,  gives  the 
utichecked  rein  to  all  the  corrupt  propensities  of  a 
fallen  nature. 

It  is  the  tendency  of  false  doctrine  to  divert  the 
mind  that  cherishes  it  into  a  wrong  channel;  it 
leads  the  soul  away  from  God.  As  truth  experi- 
mentally received  draws  the  heart  to  God,  so  error 
cherished  in  the  mind  leads  the  heart  from  God. 
It  imparts  distorted  views  of  the  Divine  character, 
gives  low  conceptions  of  the  Divine  law,  beclouds 
the  finished  work  of  Christ,  weakens  the  power  of 
moral  obligation,  and,  from  step  to  step,  leads  the 
soul  entirely,  and,  if  grace  do  not  interfere,  for  ever, 
from  God. 

That  the  connexion  between  spiritual  and  per- 
sonal declension  and  false  doctrine  is  close  and 
inseparable,  and  the  results  always  the  most  painful 
and  disastrous,  cannot  be  questioned.    The  moment 


WITH  DOCTRINAL  ERROR.  149 

a  private  Christian,  or  a  public  teacher,  or  an  as- 
sociated body,  becomes  infected  with  false  doctrine, 
departs  from  the  word  of  God,  and  sets  up  doctrines, 
and  commandments,  and  ordinances,  at  variance 
with  the  revealed  word,  that  moment  finds  him  or 
them  deteriorating  in  spirituality  and  declining  in 
holiness ;  and  from  a  career  of  spiritual  prosperity, 
perhaps  the  most  unexampled,  relapsing  into  a  state 
of  formahty,  deadness,  and  unfruitfulness,  from 
which  nothing  seems  fully  and  permanently  to 
recover  them. 

Select  an  individual  believer,  a  minister,  or  the 
case  of  a  Church,  which  has  departed  from  the 
"  faith  once  delivered  unto  the  saints,"  and  has 
relinquished  some  of  the  fundamental  doctrines  of 
the  Gospel,  and  how  marked  and  painful  are  the 
results  ! 

Take,  for  example,  the  case  of  an  individual  be- 
liever. Has  he  abandoned  ihe  ancient  landmark 
of  truth  ?  Has  he  lost  a  reverence  for  its  character, 
a  sense  of  its  value,  a  relish  for  its  sweetness  ? 
Trace  the  sad  effects  in  his  uneven  walk,  his  care- 
less spirit,  his  low-toned  spirituality,  his  hardened 
conscience,  his  insensible  heart,  his  neglect  of  means 
■ — in  a  word,  the  apparent  withering  up  of  all  his 
grace.  What  a  change  has  passed  over  the  man  ! 
what  a  distant  spirit  now  marks  him  whose  walk 
was  once  so  close  with  God  !  what  exhibitions  of 
self  in  him  who  was  once  so  humble  and  so  retiring, 
whose  carriage  did  seem  to  speak  the  inward  con- 
sciousness of  tlie  soul  '  less  than  the  least  of  all 
saints  !'  what  a  turning  of  the  back  upon  the  means 
13* 


150  DECLENSION    IN    CONNEXION 

of  grace,  by  him  to  whom  they  were  once  so  highly 
prized,  so  eagerly  sought,  so  richly  enjoyed,  amid 
which  he  walked  as  through  green  pastures,  and  by 
the  side  of  still  waters  !  what  unkindness,  what 
haughty  bearing,  what  frigid  distance,  now  marks 
his  conduct  towards  the  saints  of  God,  once  so  dear 
to  his  heart,  his  chosen  and  beloved  companions, 
with  whom  he  desired  to  live  and  to  die  !  He  has 
departed  from  the  faith,  and  these  are  some  of  the 
dire  effects  ! 

Take  the  still  more  affecting  case  of  a  professed 
fnijiisier  of  the  Gosjyel.  Has  any  change  taken 
place  in  his  views  of  the  Christian  system  ?  has  he 
relinquished  any  fundamental  doctrine  of  the  Gos- 
pel ?  has  he  abandoned  any  essential  element  of  re- 
vealed truth?  Perhaps  he  has  given  up  the  God- 
head of  Christ,  the  sacrificial  character  of  his  death ; 
or,  it  may  be,  he  denies  the  Deity  and  Personality  of 
the  Spirit ;  or  else  his  views  touching  the  obligation 
of  the  believer  to  holiness  have  undergone  a  painful 
alteration.  But,  whatever  be  the  error  he  has  im- 
bibed, whether  doctrinal  or  preceptive,  a  fearful 
blight  has  in  consequence  fallen  upon  the  man. 
How  changed  the  spiritual  frame  of  his  mind  ! — 
no  more  zeal,  tenderness,  or  solemnity  marks  him. 
How  altered  the  character  of  his  ministry  ! — no 
more  power,  earnestness,  or  spiriiuality,  clothes  it. 
How  different  its  results  ! — no  more  conversions,  and 
no  more  edification,  comfort,  and  establishing  to  the 
saints  follow  it.  How  differently  he  prays  ! — no 
more  unction,  life,  and  power  breathe  in  his  peti- 
tions.   He  has  imbibed  error,  he  has  turned  his  back 


WITH  DOCTRINAL  ERROR.  151 

upon  God's  truth,  and  God  has  turned  his  back  upon 
liim. 

We  might  go  on  to  trace  the  same  or  similar 
effects,  sliowing  the  close  connection  between  false 
doctrine  and  spiritual  declension,  in  the  history  of  a 
church  which  has  departed  from  the  purity  of  the 
faith  ;  but  sufficient  has  been  advanced,  we  believe, 
to  illustrate  the  awful  consequences  of  tampering 
with  God's  word,  and  of  rehnquishing  our  hold  upon 
a  single  truth  which  he  has  revealed  for  the  sanctifi- 
cation  and  salvation  of  the  soul. 

The  inquiry  appropriately  suggests  itself  here, — 
how  far  may  the  prevaihng  deficiency  in  spirituality 
be  traced  to  the  influence  of  lax  views  of  Divine 
truth  among  professedly  orthodox  Christians,  and  to 
the  existence  of  alarming  errors  which,  like  a  flood, 
threaten  to  sweep  away  the  ancient  landmarks  of 
Gospel  truth  ?  That  such  a  dearth  of  spirituality 
does  exist, — traced  in  the  pulpit,  on  the  platform, 
from  the  press,  and  in  the  social  intercourse  of  Chris- 
tians,— cannot  be  doubted  :  the  only  question  is,  To 
what  are  we  to  refer  it  as  a  cause  ?  We  unhesita- 
tingly reply,  To  a  defective  theology,  to  false  doc- 
trine, to  low  and  lax  views  of  God's  revealed  truth. 
Declension  in  spirituality  has  ever  followed  a  depar- 
ture from  the  purity  of  the  faith.  Look  at  the  re- 
formed churches  on  the  continent  of  Europe  ;  they 
departed  from  the  pure  doctrines  of  the  Reformation, 
and  what  and  where  are  they  now  ?  Scattered, 
many  of  them,  to  the  winds, — torn  up  by  the  roots  ; 
while  those  that  remain  have  sunk  into  a  state  of 
the  deepest  declension,  abandoned  to  the  withering 


152  DECLENSION    IN    CONNEXION 

influence  of  an  infidel  neology,  and  a  mystic  trans- 
cendentalism. It  is  true,  the  sun  of  the  Reforma- 
tion appears  in  some  parts  of  the  land  of  Calvin  and 
Luther  to  be  emerging  from  its  long  and  deep  obscu- 
ration, inspiring  hopes  of  the  revival  of  a  more  pure 
and  spiritual  Christianity.  And  to  what  are  these 
favorable  symptoms  to  be  traced,  save  to  a  return  of 
some  of  the  churches  and  pastors  to  the  pure  doc- 
trines of  the  Reformation  ? — doctrines  which  Luther 
boldly  preached,  on  which  Calvin  powerfully  wrote, 
and  for  which  Latimer,  Ridley,  and  Cranmer  went 
fearlessly  to  the  stake.  It  is  much  to  be  feared,  that 
if  the  reformed  churches  of  England  and  of  America 
return  not  soon  to  a  purer  and  a  more  spiritual  the- 
ology, they  will  smite  upon  the  rocks  on  which  the 
continental  churches  have  so  sadly  made  shipwreck 
of  faith.     To  descend  to  particulars  : 

Is  there  not  in  the  present  day  a  criminal  keeping 
back  by  some,  and  a  painful  undervaluing  by  others, 
of  the  scriptwal  and  holy  doctrines  of  grace  7 — 
The  doctrines  which  unfold  the  eternity  of  God's 
love  to  his  people — the  sovereignty  of  his  grace  in 
their  election — the  effectual  power  of  the  Spirit  in 
their  calling — the  free  justification  of  their  persons 
through  the  imputed  righteousness  of  Christ,  and 
the  entire  putting  away  of  their  sins  by  his  atoning 
blood — the  solemn  obligation  to  "live  soberly,  right- 
eously, and  godly  in  this  present  evil  world,"  and  (he 
certainty  of  their  final  glorification  in  the  world  to 
come, — are  not  these  Divinely-revealed  truths,  at  the 
present  moment,  and  by  the  great  mass  of  Christian 
professors  and  preachers,  excluded  from  our  pulpits 


WITH  DOCTRINAL  ERROR.  153 

and  exiled  from  our  land  7  are  they  not  considered 
ineai*  and  unfasliionable  ?  and  having  lost  their  sa- 
vor with  the  many,  are  they  not  cast  out  and  trod- 
den under  foot  of  men  7  We  verily  and  solemnly 
believe  that  it  is  so.  By  some  they  are  professedly 
received,  but  criminally  held  back ;  by  others  they 
are  professedly  preached,  but  with  such  tinjidity  and 
obscurity,  as  to  render  them  of  none  effect ;  and  by 
the  many  they  are  disbelieved  altogether,  and  there- 
fore openly  and  boldly  denied !  And  yet,  these  are 
the  doctrines  which  shine  so  luminously  in  every 
page  of  the  apostle's  writings, — these  are  the  doc- 
trines which  formed  the  grand  themes  of  Christ's 
ministration, — and  these  are  the  doctrines,  to  the 
preaching  of  which  by  the  reformers,  we  owe  all  the 
civil  and  religious  liberty  which,  as  a  nation,  we  now 
possess.  We  hesitate  not,  then,  to  say  that,  along 
with  the  denial  or  the  undervaluing  of  these  doc- 
trines of  grace,  there  will  go  forth  an  influence  that 
will  wither  the  spirituality  and  obstruct  the  prosper- 
ity of  the  churches  of  our  land.  It  is  true,  an  out- 
ward appearance  of  fruitfulness  may  follow  the 
exhibition  of  opposite  and  conflicting  doctrines, — 
crowds  may  flock  to  their  standard,  and  multitudes 
seem  converted  by  their  influence, — but  soon  these 
delusive  appearances  are  seen  to  pass  away.  The 
time  of  trial  and  of  sifting  comes,  and  then  it  is 
found — when,  alas !  too  late  to  close  the  flood-gate 
against  the  overwhelming  evils  which  the  preacliing 
of  error  has  produced — that  the  truth,  and  the  truth 
only,  in  the  hands  of  the  Eternal  Spirit  of  God,  can 
really  enlighten  the  dark  mind,  regenerate  the  life- 


154  DECLENSION    IN    CONNEXION 

less  soul,  and  subdue  and  sanctify  the  rebellious 
heart :  it  is  then  discovered,  that  the  true  prosperity 
of  a  church,  its  stability,  its  spirituality,  its  vigor  and 
its  holy  influence,  are  essentially,  and  therefore  in- 
separably, connected  with  a  fearless  and  holy  main- 
tenance of  the  doctrines  of  grace  ;  that  where  they 
are  denied,  or  held  back,  or  in  any  W8.y  obscured, 
there  may  indeed  exist  the  form  of  godliness,  but 
the  power — the  glorious,  Divine,  and  sanctifying 
power — is  wanting.  The  preaching  of  false  doc- 
trine may  build  up  a  church  composed  of  "  wood, 
hay,  stubble,"  but  the  preaching  of  truth  alone  can 
rear  a  church  composed  of  "gold,  silver,  precious 
stones."  And  the  day  is  approaching,  when  "  every 
man's  work  shall  be  made  manifest ;  for  the  day 
shall  declare  it,  because  it  shall  be  revealed  by  fire  ; 
and  the  fire  shall  try  every  man's  work  of  what 
sort  it  is."     1  Cor.  iii.  13. 

Do  we  long,  and  pray,  and  labor  for  a  true  re- 
vival of  the  Lord's  work  7 — What  is  more  calcu- 
lated to  bring  down  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God  upon  us 
in  all  the  plenitude  of  his  awakening  in^uence, — 
arousing  the  careless,  convincing  the  impenitent  and 
unbelieving  of  sin,  annihilating  the  self-righteous- 
ness, prostrating  the  high  thoughts,  and  slaying  the 
pride  of  the  human  heart, — than  a  clear,  pointed, 
and  faithful  exhibition  of  God's  own  revealed  truth? 
Has  not  the  great  experiment  been  tried,  and  the 
question  set  at  rest  ? — It  has.  President  Edwards, 
in  his  "  Narrative  of  Surprising  Conversions,"  bears 
this  testimony  :  "  I  think  I  have  found,"  says  he, 
"that   no   discourses    have  been  more    remarkably 


WITH  DOCTRINAL  ERROR.  155 

blessed  than  those  in  which  the  doctrine  of  God's 
absokite  sovereignty  with  regard  to  the  salvation  of 
sinners,  and  his  just  liberty  with  regard  to  his  an- 
swering the  prayer,  or  succeeding  the  pains  of  mere 
natural  men,  continuing  such,  have  been  insisted 
on.  I  never  found  so  much  immediate  saving  fruit, 
in  any  measure,  of  any  discourses  I  have  offered  to 
my  congregation,  as  some  from  those  words,  '  That 
every  mouth  may  be  stopped,'  Rom.  iii.  19;  endeav- 
oring from  thence  to  show,  that  it  would  be  just 
with  God  for  ever  to  reject  and  cast  off  mere  natural 
men." 

And  to  go  still  further  back  in  search  of  a  stronger 
testimony;  what  was  the  great  revival  at  Jerusalem 
on  the  day  of  Pentecost  the  result  of,  but  a  faithful 
exhibition  of  the  truths  brought  to  bear  upon  the 
consciences  and  the  hearts  of  three  thousand  rebel- 
lious sinners,  by  the  bold  apostle  Peter  ?  The  doc- 
trines he  then  proclaimed,  were  the  now  despised  and 
slighted  doctrines  of  grace ;  the  truths  he  then 
thundered  forth,  were  the  most  humbling  to  human 
pride,  and  the  most  offensive  to  the  natural  heart, 
and  yet  the  most  calculated,  in  the  hands  of  the 
Eternal  Spirit,  to  awaken  the  deepest  emotion,  and 
to  produce  the  most  anxious  inquiry; — "Him, being 
delivered  by  the  determinate  counsel  and  foreknow- 
ledge of  God,  ye  have  taken,  and  by  wicked  hands 
have  crucified  and  slain."  "  Now,  when  they  heard 
this,  they  were  pricked  in  their  heart,  and  said  unto 
Peter  and  the  rest  of  the  apostles.  Men  and  brethren, 
what  shall  we  do  f  This  was  the  result  of  a  simple 
preaching  of  the  truth, — a  faithful  exhibition  of  the 


156  DECLENSION    IN    CONNEXION 

doctrines  of  grace.  The  stout-hearted  Jews  hstened 
with  awe  :  the  men  who  had  witnessed  the  awful 
scene  of  Calvary  without  emotion,  now  quailed, 
trembled,  turned  pale,  and  smote  on  their  breasts,  in 
all  the  anguish  of  a  deep,  pungent  conviction  of  sin. 
How  soon  did  their  proud  natures  bend,  their  hard 
hearts  melt ;  the  strong  fortress  of  their  prejudices 
yield  before  the  simplicity  and  the  majesty  of  the 
trutii !  It  was  the  naked  "  sword  of  the  Spirit" 
which  Peter  wielded,  and  this,  at  one  blow,  smote  to 
the  earth  three  thousand  of  the  most  hopeless,  im- 
penitent sinners ;  it  was  a  crucified  Saviour  that  he 
held  up,  which,  by  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
wrought  the  wonders  of  the  day  of  Pentecost.  "  Is 
not  my  word,"  saith  God,  "  like  as  a  fire,  and  like  a 
hammer  that  breaketh  the  rock  in  pieces  ?"  "  Thine 
arrows  are  sharp  in  the  hearts  of  the  king's  enemies, 
whereby  the  people  fall  under  thee."  Is  it  unrea- 
sonable, then,  to  expect,  that  the  same  Spirit  will 
honor  with  similar  tokens  of  his  power,  the  preach- 
ing of  the  same  truths  in  our  day  ?  "  Thus  saith 
the  Lord,  Stand  ye  in  the  ways  and  see,  and  ask  for 
the  old  paths,  where  is  the  good  way,  and  walk 
therein,  and  ye  shall  find  rest  for  your  souls."  Jer. 
vi.  16. 

We  would  also  inquire,  is  there  not  in  the  present 
day  a  sad  declension  in  the  setting  forth  of  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  ?  Have  we  not  cause  to  sound 
the  note  of  alarm  touching  this  most  important 
point?  We  verily  and  solenmly  believe  that  the 
pulpits  of  our  land  are  awfully  guilty  here  ;  that  the 
modern  preaching  of  the  Gospel  is  ;iot  formed  on 


WITH  DOCTRINAL  ERROR.  157 

the  model  of  the  apostles',  which  was — Christ  cruci- 
fied :  "  I  determined  not  to  know  (or  to  make  known) 
anything  among  you,  save  Jesus  Christ,  and  him 
crucified."  Is  not  Jesus  kept  in  the  back  ground  ? 
Is  not  his  cross  hidden,  and  much  of  his  glory  veiled, 
as  if  ashamed  to  bring  him  fully  forward  ?  Are  the 
glory,  the  majesty,  and  the  beauty  of  his  Divine  and 
human  nature,  his  wondrous  person,  clearly  set 
forth?  Are  the  nature,  necessity,  and  perfection  of 
his  great  work,  fully  and  fearlessly  unfolded  ?  Are 
his  precious  blood,  his  imputed  righteousness,  his  me- 
diatorial fulness,  his  exaltation  and  intercession  at 
the  right  hand  of  God,  truths  prominently  exhibited 
and  fervently  preached  ?  On  the  contrary,  are  not 
human  knowledge,  and  splendid  talents,  and  brilliant 
eloquence,  and  moral  suasion,  greatly  substituted  for 
the  preaching  of  the  cross  ?  That  there  should  be 
a  sad  declension  of  vital  piety,  of  real  spirituality, 
and  of  active  exertion,  where  Christ  is  not  fully 
preached,  is  not  to  be  wondered  at.  The  cross  of 
Jesus  is  the  very  soul  of  Christianity ;  all  is  death 
where  Jesus  is  not.  Grace  decays,  piety  languishes, 
and  formality  takes  the  place  of  the  power  of  the 
Gospel,  where  the  person  and  the  work  of  Christ  are 
slighted,  undervalued,  or  denied.  How  should  we 
pray  that  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  Lamb  slain, 
who  is  "  worthy  to  receive  power,  and  riches,  and 
wisdom,  and  strength,  and  honor,  and  glory,  and 
blessing,"  should  be  more  fully  and  simply  preached 
through  the  length  and  breadth  of  our  land  ;  that 
tiie  cliurch  and  the  pulpit  should  more  manifestly 
crown  him  Lord  of  all ! 

14 


158  DECLENSION    IN    CONNEXION 

Once  more  :  Is  not  the  doctrine  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
held  slightly  ?  Is  he  not  denied  in  his  person,  dis- 
honored in  his  work,  wounded  and  grieved  in  his  in- 
fluence ?  Is  there  not  a  more  marked  dependence 
on  creature  power,  than  upon  the  power  of  the 
Spirit  ?  Do  not  sermons  and  books,  and  reports,  sadly 
forget  to  recognise  and  honor  him  as  the  grand 
source  of  all  blessing?  Are  his  power,  grace,  and 
love  in  the  great  work  of  conversion,  distinctly  ac- 
knowledged and  duly  honored  ?  That  there  should 
be  no  precious  gales  of  grace,  no  revival  of  the  Lord's 
work,  no  true  spiritual  prosperity,  where  the  Holy 
Spirit  is  not  glorified,  we  cannot  marvel.  All  must 
be  cold,  formal,  and  lifeless — that  church  a  stagnant 
pool,  and  that  ministry  a  powerless  instrument  where 
the  Spirit  of  God  is  slighted,  wounded,  or  absolutely 
denied. 

In  closing,  let  us  remark,  that,  Uving  as  we  do  in 
a  day  of  abounding  error,  it  solemnly  behoves  those 
who  believe  the  truth,  fearlessly  to  maintain  it. 
Let  there  be  no  compromise,  no  barter  of  the  truth ; 
buy  it  at  any  sacrifice  of  human  opinion,  sell  it  at  no 
price  whatever.  "Buy  the  truth  and  sell  it  not." 
Stand  up  a  witness  of  the  truth,  humbly,  boldly, 
and  in  the  strength  of  the  Lord,  wherever  his  provi- 
dence may  place  you.  O  consider  the  honor  of 
being  permitted  to  testify  to  the  truth  as  it  is  in 
Jesus  !  You  may  be  a  lone,  a  solitary  witness,  yet 
fear  not;  he  who  is  "  the  truth"  itself  says  to  you,  as 
he  did  to  the  church  in  Philadelphia, — "  Thou  hast 
a  little  strength,  and  hast  kept  my  word,  and  hast 
not  denied  my  name.     Because  thou  hast  kept  the 


WITH  DOCTRINAL  ERROR.  159 

word  of  my  patience,  I  also  will  keep  thee  from  the 
hour  of  temptation,  which  shall  come  upon  all  the 
world,  to  try  them  that  dwell  upon  the  earth.  Be- 
hold, 1  come  quickly  ;  hold  that  fast  which  thou  hast, 
that  no  man  take  thy  crown."     Rev.  iii.  10,  11. 

Let  those  who  hold  the  truth,  he  careful  to  main- 
tain good  works,  and  so  loalk  in  all  the  holiness 
of  the  truth  they  profess  ;  let  them  see  that  by  no 
carelessness  of  deportment,  by  no  want  of  integrity, 
by  no  neglect  of  the  means  of  grace,  by  no  exhibi- 
tions of  unholy  temper,  by  no  worldly  conformity, 
yea,  by  no  inconsistency  whatever,  they  bring  a  slur 
upon  the  holy  doctrines  they  avowedly  maintain  and 
love ;  let  them  not  be  satisfied  with  maintaining  a 
string  of  doctrines,  unaccompanied  with  their  sancti- 
fying power :  but  let  them  see  that  with  the  truth 
in  their  judgments,  they  possess  grace  in  the  heart, 
and  unspotted  holiness  in  the  life.  "  Then  said  Je- 
sus to  those  Jews  w^hich  believed  on  him.  If  ye  con- 
tinue in  my  word,  then  are  ye  my  disciples  indeed; 
and  ye  shall  know  the  truth,  and  the  truth  shall 
make  you  free."     John  viii.  31,  32. 


CHAPTER   VI. 

ON     GRIEVING     THE     SPIRIT. 

"  Grieve  not  the  Holy  Spirit  of  GoA-^—Eph.  iv.  20. 

This  subject  stands  in  close  and  solemn  relation 
to  the  spiritual  and  personal  declension  of  the  be- 
liever :  his  decay  in  grace  necessarily  and  painfully 
involves  it.  Of  all  that  has  been  wrought  in  the 
believer  in  the  way  of  conviction,  repentance,  faith, 
joy,  holiness,  &c.,  the  blessed  and  Eternal  Spirit  is 
the  sole  Author.  Great  and  glorious  is  his  work : 
yea,  but  for  it,  the  redemption  accomplished  by  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  as  to  any  saving  effects,  would 
have  availed  nothing.  The  'Sun  of  righteousness' 
might  have  risen  upon  the  world  in  all  his  peerless 
splendor  ;  but  until  the  mental  eye  had  been  opened 
by  the  Holy  Spirit,  not  a  beam  had  found  its  way 
into  the  dark  chambers  of  the  understanding  and 
the  heart  The  Gospel  '  supper'  might  have  been 
prepared,  the  Lamb  slain,  and  the  invitation  issued ; 
but  without  a  supernatural  power  working  upon 
the  will,  the  desires,  and  the  affections  of  man,  all 
would  have  '  made  light  of  it,  and  have  gone  their 
ways,  one  to  his  farm,  another  to  his  merchandise.' 
"  It  is  expedient  for  you  that  I  go  away,"  said  Jesus, 
"  for  if  I  go  not  away,  the  comforter  will  not  come 
unto  you  ;  but  if  I  depart,  I  will  send  him  unto  you. 


ON    GRIEVING    THE    SPIRIT.  161 

And  when  he  is  come,  he  will  reprove  the  world  of 
sin,  and  of  righteousness,  and  of  judgment."  Our 
views  of  the  work  of  the  Spirit  cannot  be  too  spiritual 
nor  can  our  estimate  of  its  value  be  loo  high.  The 
great  danger  to  which  we  are  exposed,  is,  not  in 
overrating,  but  in  undervaluing  the  office-work  of 
the  Spirit;  not  in  thinking  too  high,  but  in  thinking 
too  low  of  it :  and  that  anything  tends  more  to 
wound,  grieve,  and  chase  from  us  his  sensible  pres- 
ence, than  a  known  and  permitted  declension  of 
his  work,  we  cannot  imagine.  This  is  the  solemn 
and  important  point,  to  which  the  consideration  of 
the  reader  is  now  to  be  directed. 

The  phrases,  '  vexing  the  Spirit,'  '  grieving  the 
Spirit,'  '  quenching  the  Spirit,'  '  resisting  the  Spirit,' 
&c.,  though  metaphorical,  are  nevertheless  highly 
sionificant  and  solemn  in  their  meaning.  Grief  is 
not  a  passion  in  the  Holy  Spirit,  as  it  is  in  us,  any 
more  than  *  anger,'  'wrath,'  'revenge,'  are  unholy 
emotions  in  God,  though  ascribed  to  him.  In  con- 
descension to  our  w^eakness,  these  expressions  are 
employed  to  set  forth  God's  extreme  hatred  of  sin, 
and  the  holy  sensitiveness  of  the  Eternal  Spirit  to 
any  neglect,  undervaluing,  or  declension  of  his  most 
gracious  work  and  influence  in  the  soul.  Properly, 
the  Spirit  cannot  be  grieved,  cannot  be  quenched, 
cannot  be  resisted  ;  because  he  is  not  a  creature, 
though  a  person.  To  believe  the  contrary,  would  be 
to  invest  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God  with  such  attributes 
as  would  be  incompatible  with  his  Divine  glory  and 
infinite  perfections, — such  as  belong  only  to  a  weak, 
sinful,  finite  creature.  But  metaphorically,  to '  grieve 
14* 


162  ON    GRIEVING    THE    SPIRIT. 

the  Spirit,'  is  to  disregard  his  voice,  oppose  his  influ- 
ence, and  slight  his  kind,  loving,  and  tender  nature ; 
and  thus  cause  a  withdrawment  from  the  soul — in 
some  cases  temporary,  in  others  eternal — of  his  pre- 
sence, influence  and  blessing.  In  the  case  of  the  re- 
generate, the  withdrawment  of  the  Spirit  on  being 
grieved,  is  for  a  season  only ;  in  that  of  the  finally 
impenitent  and  unbeUeving,  the  hushing  of  his  voice, 
speaking  to  them  in  conscience,  in  providence,  and  in 
his  word,  is  the  giving  of  them  up  for  ever.  But 
these  are  points  that  will  appear  in  a  more  advanced 
elucidation  of  our  subject.  Let  our  attention  now  be 
directed  to  the  way  in  which  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God 
may  be  grieved,  and  then  to  the  consideration  of 
some  of  the  certain  and  mournful  consequences. 

I  am  supposed  to  address  myself  to  those  who  ad- 
mit, in  its  unlimited  meaning,  the  scriptural  doctrine 
of  the  Divine  Persoriality  of  the  Holy  Spirit :  else 
it  might  be  proper  to  show,  that  a  denial  of  this  truth 
involves  an  absolute  denial  of  the  Spirit, — his  per- 
sonal glory  and  official  work, — and  charges  home 
upon  the  conscience  of  the  rejecter,  a  sin  of  the  most 
malignant  character,  and  of  the  most  fatal  tendency. 
It  surely  needs  not  the  reasoning  of  a  moment  to 
prove  that  any  existing  doubt,  any  latent  suspicion, 
as  to  the  Spirit's  right  to  Divine  homage,  must 
involve  the  sin  of  grieving  the  Spirit,  in  the  highest 
degree.  Let  the  spiritual  coldness,  sterility,  leth- 
argy, which  are  the  legitimate  and  certain  results, 
prove  the  truth  of  what  we  affirm.  The  moment  a 
man  entertains  views  of  the  Spirit  derogatory  from 
his  personal  dignity,  that  moment  he  seems  like  one 


ON    GRIEVING    THE    SPIRIT.  163 

abandoned  of  the  Spirit  to  the  fearful  and  ruinous 
consequences  of  his  siu:  his  spirituaUty  withers,  his 
grace  decays,  the  spirit  of  devotion  languishes,  and 
at  length  expires.  If  he  ministers  in  the  priest's 
office,  all  power  and  unction  in  his  ministrations  evap- 
orate ;  or  if  he  moves  in  a  private  walk,  all  zeal,  and 
ardor,  and  devotedness  in  the  cause  of  Christ  become 
stagnant,  and  the  curse  and  the  reproach  of  barren- 
ness fall  Uke  a  blight  upon  the  once  fertile  and  flourish- 
ing soul.  These  dire  effects  may  be  traced  to  low 
views  of  the  personal  dignity  and  official  work  of  the 
Holy  Spirit.  But  I  now  particularly  address  myself 
to  those  Christians  who  acknowledge  the  deity  of  the 
Spirit,  and  his  distinct  personality  in  the  Godhead,  and 
who  humbly  hope  they  are  the  subjects  of  his  renewing 
grace,  and  thus  are  acquainted  with  the  power  and 
glory  of  his  work.  That  even  such  may  sadly  grieve 
the  Holy  Spirit  of  God,  and  in  consequence  be  great 
spiritual  losers,  we  think  the  following  considerations, 
deduced  from  the  inspired  word,  will  clearly  show. 

We  commence  with  that  which  bears  most  direct- 
ly upon  the  subject  of  the  present  volume,  the  de- 
clension of  the  Spirits  work  of  grace  in  the  soul  of 
a  child  of  God.  What  can  grieve  the  Spirit  more 
than  this  ?  It  is  an  awful  slight  cast  upon  the  most 
glorious  and  stupendous  production  of  his  power  : 
nowhere  has  he  erected  a  temple  so  glorious,  and 
nowhere  has  he  put  forth  energy  so  mighty,  and  in 
nothing  has  he  imprinted  so  deeply  the  outline  of 
his  own  holy  character,  as  in  the  work  of  grace 
which  he  has  commenced,  and  carries  on  in  the 
heart  of  man.     Now,  to  witness  any  decay,  declen- 


1G4  ON    GRIEVING    THE    SPIRIT. 

sion,  or  languor  in  this  work ;  to  mark  the  loss  of 
vigor,  healthfulness,  or  fruitfulness,  in  any  single 
grace  ;  to  see  those  whose  souls  he  had  quickened, 
whose  minds  he  had  illumined,  whose  affections  he 
had  detached  from  earthly  things  and  centered  in 
God,  who  did  seem  to  '  run  well,'  and  promised  much 
fruit,  and  '  an  abundant  entrance  into  the  everlasting 
kingdom,'  now  slacken  their  pace,  grow  weary  of 
the  way,  fold  their  arms  again  in  slumber,  grow 
earthly,  sensual,  and  grovelhng ;  the  temple  neg- 
lected, its  gates  unwatched,  and  other  guests  admit- 
ted ;  holy  motives  losing  their  power,  love  ceasing  to 
constrain,  spiritual  things  no  longer  attracting,  de- 
hghting,  and  satisfying  the  soul, — oh!  can  we 
imagine  the  loving,  faithful,  tender  heart  of  the 
Spirit  more  sensibly  touched  with  grief  by  anything 
than  this  ?  Well  might  he  exclaim,  "  What  could 
I  have  done  more  for  my  vineyard  than  1  have  done  ? 
A¥hy,  then,  when  I  looked  for  grapes,  did  it  bring 
forth  wild  grapes?"  "  O  Ephraim,  what  shall  I  do 
imto  thee  ?  O  Judah,  what  shall  I  do  unto  thee  ? 
for  your  goodness  is  as  a  morning  cloud,  and  as  the 
early  dew  it  goeth  away." 

Of  all  spiritual  states,  lukeioarmness  is  most  ab- 
horrent to  God,  and  grieving  to  the  Holy  Spiiit.  "  I 
know  thy  works,  that  thou  art  neither  cold  nor  hot : 
I  would  thou  wert  cold  or  hot.  So  then  because 
thou  art  lukeivann,  and  neither  cold  nor  hot,  I  will 
spue  thee  out  of  my  mouth."  Thus  has  God  de- 
clared his  utter  detestation  of  this  state.  And  yet, 
who  contemplates  it  in  this  awful  light  ?  who  pauses 
to  examine  himself,  to  ascertain  what  real  progress 


ON    GRIEVING    THE    SPIRIT.  165 

his  soul  is  making, — what  grace  is  enfeebled, — what 
part  of  the  Spirit's  work  is  decayed, — what  spot  of 
his  soul  is  barren  and  unfruitful,  and  how  far  he  is 
secretly  and  effectually  grieving  the  Holy  Spirit,  by 
a  known,  allowed,  and  clierished  state  of  spiritual 
declension  ?  If,  after  all  his  skill,  it  must  be  affect- 
ing to  the  architect  to  witness  the  decay  of  his 
building  ;  if  so  to  the  parent,  after  his  costly  ex- 
penditure of  means  in  education,  to  witness  the  fond 
hopes  he  cherished  of  his  child  blasted,  how  infinitely 
more  is  the  spirit  affected  and  grieved  to  behold  the 
temple  he  had  erected  at  such  a  cost,  falling  to 
decay ;  the  soul  he  had  taught  with  such  care  and 
solicitude,  receding  into  a  state  of  coldness  and 
formality  in  its  spiritual  duties  and  affections ! 
"  The  heart  of  the  Spirit,"  beautifully  remarks  Dr. 
Owen,  "is  infinitely  more  tender  towards  us.  than 
that  of  the  most  affectionate  parent  can  be  towards 
an  only  child.  And  when  he  with  cost  and  care 
hath  nourished  and  brought  us  up  into  some  growth 
and  progress  in  spiritual  affections,  wherein  all  his 
concerns  in  us  do  lie,  for  us  to  grow  cold,  dull, 
earthly-minded,  to  cleave  unto  the  pleasures  and 
lusts  of  this  world,  how  is  he  grieved,  how  is  he 
provoked  !"  See,  then,  that  your  spiritual  state  is 
such  as  occasions  joy  rather  than  grief  to  the  Holy 
Spirit  of  God.  Nothing  can  fill  his  loving  heart 
with  greater  and  more  holy  delight,  than  to  witness 
the  deepening  character  and  expanding  influence  of 
liis  own  work  in  the  believer.  To  behold  the  glim- 
mering light  which  he  created,  '  shining  more  and 
more, — the  gentle  plant  emitting  its  fragrance  and 


1G6  ON    GRIEVING    THE    SPIRIT. 

putting  forth  its  fruit,— the  well-spring  in  the  heart, 
rising  heavenward,  Godward, — such  a  picture  must 
be  grateful  to  the  Spirit.  If  the  enthroned  Redeem- 
er looks  down  with  satisfaction  upon  the  travail  of 
his  soul  in  the  calling  in  of  his  redeemed,  equally 
joyous  mus-t  it  be  to  the  Eternal  Spirit,  to  behold 
the  widening  of  his  kingdom  in  the  saints, — the 
maturing  of  the  soul  for  the  inheritance  and  the 
companionship  of  'just  men  made  perfect.'  To 
mark  a  growing  conformity  to  the  image  of  Christ — 
holiness  expanding  its  root — each  grace  in  active 
exercise — every  weight  cast  aside — every  sin  morti- 
fied, and  the  whole  body,  soul,  and  spirit,  a  rising 
temple  to  God,  must  indeed  fill  all  heaven  with 
joy.  Christian  reader,  see  well  to  thy  state,  that 
the  Holy  Spirit  of  God  is  not  grieved  at  any 
known  and  cherished  declension  of  his  work  in  thy 
soul. 

The  Spirit  is  grieved  6y  a  denial,  or  under- 
valuing of  his  gracious  work  in  the  heart.  It  is 
a  circumstance  worthy  of  remark,  and  important  in 
the  instruction  which  it  conveys,  that,  among  all 
examples  of  deep  humility,  self-abasement,  con- 
sciousness and  confession  of  sin  recorded  of  the 
saints  in  the  word,  not  one  appears  to  afford  an 
instance  of  a  de7iiai  or  undervaluing  of  the  Spirit's 
work  in  the  heart.  Keen  as  appears  to  have  been 
the  sense  of  unworthiness  felt  by  Jacob,  David,  Job, 
Isaiah,  Peter,  Paul,  and  others  ;  deep  as  was  their 
conviction,  and  humiliating  as  were  their  confessions 
of  sin's  exceeding  sinfulness,  not  one  expression  seems 
to  betray  a  denial  of  the  work  of  the  Holy  Ghost  in 


ON    GRIEVING    THE    SPIRIT.  167 

their  souls :  they  felt,  and  mourned,  and  wept,  and 
confessed  as  men  called  of  God,  pardoned,  justified, 
adopted,  not  as  men  who  had  never  tasted  that  the 
Lord  was  gracious,  and  who  therefore  were  utter 
strangers  to  the  operation  of  the  Spirit  upon  their 
hearts:  they  acknowledged  their  sinfulness  and 
their  backslidings  as  converted  men,  always  ready 
and  forward  to  crown  the  Spirit  in  his  work.  But 
what  can  grieve  the  tender,  loving  heart  of  the 
Spirit  more  deeply  than  a  denial  of  his  work  in 
the  soul  ?  And  yet  there  is  a  perpetual  tendency 
to  this,  in  the  unbelieving  doubts,  legal  fears,  and 
gloomy  forebodings  which  those  saints  yield  to,  who, 
at  every  discovery  of  the  sin  that  dwelleth  in  them, 
resign  themselves  to  the  painful  conviction,  that 
they  have  been  given  over  of  God  to  believe  a  lie ! 
To  such  we  would  earnestly  say.  Grieve  not  thus 
the  Holy  Spirit  of  God.  Deep  self-abasement,  the 
consciousness  of  utter  worthlessness,  need  not  neces- 
sarily involve  a  denial  of  indvveUing  grace  in  the 
heart ;  yea,  this  blessed  state  is  perfectly  consistent 
with  the  most  elevated  hope  of  eternal  life.  He 
that  can  confess  himself  the  '  chief  of  sinners'  and 
'  the  least  of  saints,'  is  most  Ukely  to  acknowledge, 
"  I  know  in  whom  I  have  beheved," — "  He  hath 
loved  me.  and  given  himself  for  me."  What !  is  it 
all  fabulous  that  you  have  beheved?  is  it  all  a 
delusion  that  you  have  experienced  ?  have  you  been 
grasping  at  a  shadow,  believing  a  lie,  and  fighting 
as  one  that  beateth  the  air?  are  you  willing  to 
yield  your  hope  and  cast  away  your  confidence? 
What!  have  you  never  known  the  plague  of  your 


168  ON    GRIEVING    THE    SPIRIT. 

own  heart,  the  sweetness  of  godly  sorrow  at  the  foot 
of  the  cross  ?  have  you  never  felt  your  heart  beat 
one  throb  of  love  to  Jesus  ?  has  his  clear  name  never 
broken  in  sweet  cadence  on  your  ear?  are  you 
willing  to  admit  that  all  the  grief  you  have  felt, 
and  all  the  joy  you  have  experienced,  and  all  the 
blessed  anticipations  you  have  known,  were  but  as 
a  '  cunningly  devised  fable,'  a  device  of  the  wicked 
one,  a  moral  hallucination  of  the  mind?  O  grieve 
not  thus  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God !  deny  not,  under- 
value not,  his  blessed  work  within  thee  !  What  if 
you  have  been  led  into  deeper  discoveries  of  your 
fallen  nature,  your  unworthiness,  vileness,  insuffi- 
ciency, declensions,  and  backsliding  from  God,  we 
ask,  Whose  work  is  this?  whose,  but  that  same 
blessed,  loving  Spirit  whom  thus  you  are  wounding, 
quenching,  grieving,  denying?  On  this  point  the 
writer  feek  acutely  ;  when  he  remembers  how  many 
whose  eye  may  trace  this  page,  are  in  this  very 
state, — not  merely  writing  hard  and  bitter  things 
against  themselves,  but  also  against  the  blessed, 
loving,  faithful  Spirit  of  God, — calling  grace 
nature,  denying  his  work  in  them,  and,  in  a  sense 
most  painful  to  his  tender  heart,  '  speaking  words 
against  the  Holy  Ghost,'  he  cannot  but  feel.  There 
is  much  spurious  humility  among  many  saints  of 
God,  and  this  is  one  of  its  common  forms.  It  is  not 
pride  gratefully  to  acknowledge  what  great  things 
the  Lord  hath  done  for  us,— it  is  pride  that  refuses 
to  acknowledge  them ;  it  is  not  true  humility  to 
doubt,  and  underrate,  until  it  becomes  easy  to  de7ii/ 
altogether  the  work  of  the  Holy  Ghost  within  us, — 


ON    GRIEVING    THE    SPIRIT.  169 

it  is  true  humility  and  lowliness  to  confess  his  work, 
bear  testimony  to  his  operation,  and  ascribe  to  him 
all  the  power,  praise,  and  glory.  See  then,  dear 
reader,  that  you  cherish  not  tliis  false  humility, 
which  is  but  another  name  for  deep,  unmortified 
pride  of  heart;  remember  tbat  as  Satan  may  trans- 
form himself  into  an  angel  of  light,  so  may  his 
agencies  assume  the  disguise  of  the  most  holy  and 
lovely  graces;  tlms  jjride,  one  of  his  master  agents 
of  evil  in  the  heart,  may  appear  in  the  shape  of  the 
profoundest  hiimility.  And  I  would  have  you  bear 
in  mind,  too,  that  though  the  work  of  the  Spirit  in 
your  heart  raa}'^,  to  your  imperfect  knowledge  and 
dim  eye,  be  feeble — the  outhne  scarcely  visible  amid 
so  much  indwelling  sin — the  spark  almost  hid  amid 
so  much  abounding  corruption,  yet,  to  the  Spirit's 
eye,  that  work  appears  in  all  its  distinctness  and 
glory.  "  The  Lord  knoweth  them  that  are  his." 
This  declaration  will  apply  with  equal  truth  to  the 
knowledge  which  the  Holy  Ghost  hath  of  his  own 
work  in  the  believer ;  his  eye  is  upon  the  gentlest 
buddings  of  indwelling  grace — the  faintest  spark  of 
love, — the  softest  whisper  of  holy  desire — the  most 
feeble  yearnings  of  the  heart  towards  Jesus, — all, 
all  is  known  to,  and  loved  by,  the  Spirit;  it  is  his 
own  work,  and  strange  should  he  not  recognise  it. 
Suffer  this  consideration  to  have  its  proper  weight 
in  hushing  those  murmurings,  and  soothing  those 
fears,  and  neutralising  those  doubts  that  so  deeply 
grieve  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God  :  yield  yourself  up 
unto  him  ;  humbly  acknowledge  what  he  has  done 
in  you  ;  follow  the  little  hght  he  has  given  you,  call 
15 


170  ON    GRIEVING    THE    SPIRIT. 

into  constant  and  active  exercise  the  small  degree 
of  grace  and  faith  which  he  has  imparted,  and  seek 
"  with  all  prayer  and  supplication"  an  enlarged 
degree  of  his  holy  anointing,  sanctifying,  and  seal- 
ing influence. 

A  suhstitution  of  his  own  work  in  the  soul  for 
the  atoning  and  finished  work  of  Jesus,  greatly 
grieves  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God.  One  essential  and 
important  office  of  the  Spirit  is  to  glorify  Christ : 
"  He  (the  Spirit)  shall  glorify  me,"  said  Jesus  ;  "He 
shall  testify  of  me  ;"  "  He  shall  take  of  mine,  and 
shall  show  it  unto  you."  This  being  his  work  in 
reference  to  Christ,  it  must  be,  of  course,  the  great 
delight  of  the  Spirit  ever  and  at  all  times  to  lift  up 
Jesus  and  glorify  him.  And  how  does  the  Spirit 
most  glorify  Christ,  but  by  exalting  his  atoning 
work, — giving  to  it  the  pre-eminence,  the  import- 
ance, and  the  glory  it  demands, — leading  the  sin- 
ner, whom  he  has  first  convinced  of  sin,  to  accept  of 
Jesus  as  a  wilUng,  an  all-sufficient  Saviour, — to  cast 
away  all  trust  in  self,  all  reliance  upon  a  covenant 
of  works,  which  is  but  a  covenant  of  death,  and  thus 
going  entirely  out  of  himself,  to  take  up  his  rest  in 
the  blood  and  righteousness  of  Immanuel,  the  God- 
man  Mediator.  Oh,  what  sweet,  holy  delight,  must 
it  be  to  the  Spirit  of  God,  when  a  poor  sinner  in  all 
his  conscious  nothingness  is  led  to  build  upon  Jesus, 
the  "  tried  stone,  the  precious  corner-stone,  the  sure 
foundation !" 

Let  the  reader,  then,  imagine  how  grieving  it 
must  be  to  the  Spirit,  when  there  is  any  resting  in 
his  work  in   the  soul,  either  for  acceptance,  or  for 


ON    GRIEVING    THE    SPIRIT.  171 

comfort,  or  for  peace,  or  for  strength,  or  even  for  evi- 
dence of  a  state  of  grace,  and  not  solely  and  enllrdij 
in  the  atoning  work  which  Jesus  had  wrought  out 
for  the  redemption  of  sinners.  The  work  of  the 
Spirit  and  the  work  of  Christ,  though  they  form 
parts  of  one  glorious  whole,  are  yet  distinct,  and  to 
be  distinguished  in  the  economy  of  grace,  and  in 
the  salvation  of  a  sinner.  It  is  the  work  of  Jesus 
alone,  his  perfect  obedience  to  the  broken  law  of  God, 
and  his  sacrificial  death  as  a  satisfaction  of  Divine 
justice,  that  form  the  ground  of  a  sinner's  acceptance 
with  God, — the  source  of  his  pardon,  justification, 
and  peace.  The  work  of  the  Spirit  is,  not  to  atone, 
but  to  reveal  the  atonement ;  not  to  obey,  but  to 
make  known  the  obedience;  not  to  pardon  and  jus- 
tify, but  to  bring  the  convinced,  awakened,  penitent 
soul  to  receive  the  pardon  and  embrace  the  justifica- 
tion already  provided  in  the  work  of  Jesus.  Now, 
if  there  is  any  substitution  of  the  Spirit's  work  for 
Christ's  work, — any  undue,  unauthorised  leaning 
upon  the  work  within,  instead  of  the  work  without, 
the  believer,  there  is  a  dishonor  done  to  Christ,  and 
a  consequent  grieving  of  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God.  It 
cannot  be  pleasing  to  the  Spirit  to  find  himself  a  sub- 
stitute for  Christ ;  and  yet  this  is  the  sin  which  so 
many  are  constantly  falling  into.  If  I  look  to  con- 
victions of  sin  within  me,  to  any  motion  of  the  in- 
dwelling Spirit,  to  any  part  of  his  work,  as  the  le- 
gitimate source  of  healing,  of  comfort,  or  of  evi- 
dence, I  turn  my  back  upon  Christ,  I  remove  my 
eye  from  the  cross,  and  slight  his  great  atoning 
work;  I  make  a  Christ  of  tlie  Spirit!     I  make  a 


172  ON    GRIEVING    THE    SPIRIT. 

Saviour  of  the  Holy  Ghost !  I  convert  his  work  into 
an  atonitig  work,  and  draw  the  evidence  and  the 
consolation  of  my  pai^don  and  acceptance  from  what 
he  has  done,  and  not  from  what  Jesus  has  done  ! 
O,  is  not  this,  again  we  ask,  dishonoring  to  Christ, 
and  grieving  to  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God  ?  Think  not 
that  we  undervalue  the  Spirit's  work, — great  and 
precious  is  it.  Viewed  as  a  Q,uickener,  John  vi. 
63 — as  an  Indweller,  1  Cor.  vi.  19 — as  a  Sanctifier, 
2  Thess.  ii.  13— as  a  Sealer,  Eph.  i.  13— as  a  Wit- 
ness, John  V.  10 — as  a  Comforter,  John  xiv.  26— as 
the  Author  of  Prayer,  Rom.  viii.  26, — his  person 
cannot  be  too  ardently  loved,  nor  can  his  work  be  too 
highly  prized :  but  the  love  we  bear  him,  and  the 
honor  we  give  him,  must  not  be  at  the  expense  of 
the  honor  and  glory  and  love  due  to  the  liOrd  Jesus 
Christ,  whom  it  is  his  office  and  his  delight  to  glo- 
rify. The  crown  of  redemption  must  be  placed 
upon  the  head  of  Jesus  ;  he  alone  is  worthy  to  wear 
it, — he  alone  has  a  right  to  wear  it.  "  Thou  hast 
redeemed  us  by  thy  blood,"  is  the  song  they  sing  in 
glory,  and  "  Tfion  shalt  wear  the  crown,"  should  be 
the  song  echoed  back  from  the  redeemed  on  earth. 

See,  then,  that  you  grieve  not  the  Spirit,  either  by 
misplacing  or  by  undervaluing  the  atoning  work  of 
Jesus.  His  blood,  applied  by  the  Spirit,  pardons  ; 
his  righteousness  received  by  faith  justifies  you  ;  and 
"  the  peace  of  God  which  passeth  all  understanding," 
is  the  certain  and  blessed  fruit  of  both.  The  con- 
stant evidence*  of  a  pardoned  and  justified  state,  must 
spring  from  a  constant  dealing  with,  and  looking  to, 
the  Lord  Jesus  :  it  is  '  in  his  light  that  we  are  to  see 


ON    GRIEVING    THE    SPIRIT.  173 

light ;'  he  is  the  Sun  that  shines  upon  the  work  witliin 
us.  Tlie  eye  of  the  soul  withdrawn  fioui  his  cioss,^ 
and  fixed  in  inlenrie  gaze  upon  itseh",  will  soon  be 
lost  amid  shadows  and  glooin.  Inward  joys  may  be 
lived  upon,  until  the  spring  of  joy  ceases  to  flow ; 
evidences  may  be  looked  to,  until  they  melt  away 
into  darkness.  What,  under  these  circumstances,  is 
the  poor,  distressed,  alarmed  soul  to  do,  but  to  fly 
afresh  to  the  cross  ?  Where  is  it  to  look,  but  again 
unto  Jesus  ?  What  is  to  speak  a  sense  of  pardon, 
but  the  atoning  blood  ;  and  what  is  to  assure  of  '  per- 
fect peace,'  but  the  justifying  righteousness  of  the 
Son  of  God  ?  O  that  there  were  a  more  simple  and 
direct  looking  out  of,  and  away  from,  self,  to  the 
atoning  Saviour !  Then  woulil  the  precept  be  sweet, 
then  would  obedience  be  easy,  then  would  the  cross 
be  light,  and  then,  too,  would  peace  fiow  as  a  river, 
and  righteousness  roll  in  as  the  waves  of  the  sea. 

And  yet,  there  is  a  sense  in  which  the  Sjririfs 
own  work  may  he  so  slighted,  as  deeply  to  grieve  his 
heart.  There  is  a  proneness  to  extreme  points  even 
in  the  child  of  God :  he  may  either  overrate,  or  he 
may  underrate  a  thing ;  he  may  place  an  unwar- 
rantable dependence  upon  tliat  which,  at  another 
period,  he  may  be  found  painfully  and  sinfully  to 
slight.  Thus,  in  reference  to  the  afflictions  of  the 
believer,  the  word  of  God  exhorts  him  on  the  one 
hand  not  to  despise  them,  and  tenderly  admonishes 
him  on  the  other  hand  not  to  faint  under  them. 
Heb.  xii.  5.  We  may  either  think  too  much  or  too 
little  of  God's  covenant  cliastenings.  What  need  of 
the  teachings  of  the  Spirit  every  moment  of  one's 
15* 


174  ON    GRIEVING    THE    SPIRIT. 

life  !  how  important  to  be  found  constantly  distrust- 
ing and  leaning  off  of  self,  and  trusting  to,  and 
leaning  upon,  Jesus  !  The  prayer  of  a  child  of  God 
should  unceasingly  be,  that  the  Lord  would  keep 
liiin  from  himself ;  that  the  posture  of  his  mind 
might  be  low  at  the  feet  of  Jesus,  each  moment 
learning  of,  and  living  to,  him.  But  how  may  the 
Spirit's  work  be  slighted  by  the  believer  ?  In  various 
ways. 

He  m.ay  cherish  an  imperfect  consciousness  of  the 
indioelling  of  the  Spirit  in  his  heart.  To  show 
any  indifference  to  the  presence  of  a  guest,  to  mani- 
fest any  want  of  marked  and  proper  attention,  is  a 
shght  of  no  ordinary  nature  :  in  this  sense  may  the 
Holy  Spirit  of  God  be  grieved.  For  the  Holy  Ghost 
effectually  to  call,  renew,  sanctify  and  take  posses- 
sion of  the  soul — make  it  his  temple,  his  permanent 
dwelling-place ;  and  yet,  for  that  soul  to  entertain 
inadequate  views  of  this  great  truth,  forget  who  is 
dwelling  with  and  in  him,  slight  his  heavenly  guest, 
and  go  out  and  come  in,  and  live  and  act  as  if  he 
were  not  a  temple  of  the  Holy  Ghost, — what  can  be 
more  dishonoring  to  the  Blessed  and  Eternal  Spirit ! 
O  that  this  momentous  truth  should  even  for  a  sin- 
gle moment  be  lost  sight  of  by  the  believer !  That 
he  should  be  the  dwelling-place  of  the  Most  High, 
the  '  High  and  Lofty  One  that  iuhabiteth  eternitj^, 
whose  name  is  Holy,'  the  residence  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  and  yet  entertain  a  feehng  or  a  thought  not 
in  perfect  harmony  with  so  great  a  fact,  does  indeed 
show  the  necessity  of  the  apostolic  admonition 
"  Grieve  not  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God." 


ON    GRIEVING    THE    SPIRIT.  175 

When,  too,  his  still  squall  voice  is  unheeded,  and 
his  gentle  constraints  are  not  yielded  to,  there  is  a 
shght  put  upon  his  work  of  a  very  grievous  nature. 
The  abiding  Indwellcr  of  the  saint  of  God,  the  Spirit, 
is  perpetually  speaking  to,  admonishing,  leading, 
drawing,  and  constraining  the  soul :  his  great  work 
there,  is  to  teach,  to  sanctify,  to  shield,  to  check,  and 
to  comfort  the  believer.  Every  holy  shrinking  from 
sin,  every  firm  resistance  of  its  power,  every  victory 
achieved  over  its  motions,  every  aspiration  after  holi- 
ness, and  every  feeble  desire  towallt  in  the  way  of 
filial  obedience  to,  and  sweet  communion  with,  God, 
is  the  fruit  of  the  indwelling  Spirit  in  the  heart. 
How  grieving,  then,  to  that  Spirit,  when  this  loving 
voice  of  his,  and  these  gentle  constraints  of  his,  are 
overlooked,  stifled,  disregarded,  and  slighted  by  the 
soul  he  so  tenderly  loves,  and  so  faithfully  watches 
over  !  Grieve  not  thus  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God.  In 
all  his  dealings  with  you,  he  seeks  but  your  real 
good;  he  airas  to  deepen  his  own  work  in  your 
hearts  ;  he  seeks  but  to  promote  your  holiness,  and 
to  mature  your  soul  for  the  joys  and  the  companion- 
ship of  the  saints  in  light.  Yet  more ;  he  desires 
your  true  happiness, — he  would  draw  you  off  from 
carnal  things,  he  would  allure  you  from  objects  of 
sense  and  sin,  and  open  to  you  springs  of  higher  and 
purer  enjoyment,  and  lead  you  into  fairer  and 
greener  pastures  :  this  would  he  do,  by  unfolding  to 
ycu  what  you  possess  in  Jesus,  in  the  covenant  of 
grace,  and  in  a  covenant  God.  Let  your  ear,  then, 
be  open  to  the  gentle  voice  of  the  Spirit,  and  follow 
promptly  and  implicitly  his  secret  and  gentle  leadings. 


176  ON     GRIEVING    THE    SPIRIT. 

Inconsistency  in  the  Christian  jjrofession,  must 
be  highly  grieving  to  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God.  To 
mark  a  want  of  harmony  between  the  professed 
principles  and  the  habit  of  life  in  one  avowedly  his 
temple  ;  to  trace  a  love  of  the  world,  a  panting  for 
its  fame,  a  grasping  for  its  wealth,  an  adoption  of  its 
policy,  a  conforming  to  its  maxims,  its  pursuits,  its 
pleasures,  and  its  religion,  cannot  fail  to  wound  the 
sacred  guest,  the  indwelling  Spirit.  And  yet  this 
worldly  spirit,  this  painful  inconsistency  of  avowed 
Christian  principle,  how  many  professors  does  it 
mark  !  What  numbers  there  are  professing  and 
calling  themselves  Christians,  the  disciples  of  the 
Lord,  the  followers  of  the  meek  and  lowly  Lamb  of 
God,  who  think  lightly  of  putting  on  gay,  worldly 
attire, — of  frequenting  balls,  or  moving  in  the  dance, 
— of  joining  in  carnal  music, — of  attending  plays, 
and  reading  novels  and  romances, — all  of  which  are 
at  variance  with  the  Christian  character,  are  viola- 
tions of  the  Christian  rule,  are  dishonoring  to  the 
name  of  Christ,  and  are  deeply  grieving  to  the  Holy 
Spirit  of  God.  You  are  professedly  a  temple  to  the 
Holy  Ghost.  What !  shall  you  adorn  that  temple 
wdth  earthly  splendor,  after  the  fashion  of  this  world  ? 
What  says  the  Holy  Ghost  by  his  servant  ? — "  In 
like  manner  also,  that  women  adorn  themselves  in 
modest  apparel,  with  shamefaced ness  and  sobriety  ; 
not  with  broidered  hair,  or  gold,  or  pearls,  or  costly 
array  ;  but  (which  becometh  women  professing  god- 
liness) with  good  works."  1  Tim.  ii.  9,  10.  Again, 
— "  Whose  adorning  let  it  not  be  that  outward  adorn- 
ing of  plaiting  the  hair,  and  of  wearing  of  gold,  or 


ON    GRIEVING    THE    SPIRIT.  177 

of  putting  on  of  apparel ;  but  let  it  be  the  hidden 
man  of  the  heart,  in  that  which  is  not  corruptible, 
even  the  ornament  of  a  meek  and  quiet  spirit,  which 
is  in  the  sight  of  God  of  great  price.  For  after  this 
manner,  in  the  old  time,  (he  holy  women  also,  who 
trusted  in  God,  adorned  themselves."  1  Peter  iii. 
3 — 5.  Do,  then,  the  extravagance,  the  costliness, 
the  vvorldhness,  the  studied  attention  to  taste,  that 
mark  the  outward  adornment  of  so  many  professing 
Christians,  comport  with  the  spirit  and  the  precept 
of  the  Gospel?  rather,  are  they  not  such  indulgences 
as  the  Gospel  clearly  interdicts,  and  on  which  Chris- 
tianity severely  frowns? 

Again  :  Shall  the  believer,  the  professed  temple  of 
the  Holy  Ghost,  be  found  mingling  with  the  world, 
taking  pleasure  in  its  amusements,  courting  its  so- 
ciety, working  upon  its  principles,  and  adopting  its 
policy?  Ought  this  to  be  the  line  of  conduct  pur- 
sued by  a  professing  Cliristian?  Is  this  the  way  to 
illustrate  the  holy  power  of  the  truth,  to  recommend 
the  Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ,  to  rebuke  the  sin,  and 
folly,  and  rebellion  of  the  world,  and  to  win  it  over 
to  the  obedience  of  the  faith  ?     Assuredly  not ! 

And  how  can  the  Divine  life  in  the  soul  be  fed 
and  sustained  from  such  a  source  ?  What  nourish- 
ment does  it  derive  from  the  light  and  frothy  read- 
ings of  the  day, — from  the  pages  of  a  sickly  romance, 
a  frivolous  novel,  a  tale  of  fiction  ?  What  food  can 
the  unhallowed,  unsanctified  imagination  of  men, 
})repare  for  the  strengthening,  supporting,  and  ex- 
panding of  this  Divine  principle  in  the  soul  ?  Surely 
none. 


1*78  ON    GRIEVING    THE    SPIRIT. 

And  what  meetness  for  prayer,  for  communion 
with  God,  for  the  reading  of  his  sacred  word,  can  a 
behever  find  in  the  giddy  dance,  in  carnal  song,  in 
the  immoral  novel  7  What  preparation  of  mind  do 
these  pursuits  afford  for  approaching  to  God,  for  the 
proper  discharge  of  Christian  duties,  for  sober  reflec- 
tion, for  the  hour  of  death,  and  for  the  day  of  judg- 
ment? Oh!  the  awful  inconsistencies  that  mark 
the  profession  of  some,  who  can  find  a  near  and  an 
easy  path  from  the  sanctuary,  the  communion  table, 
and  the  closet,  to  the  evening  party,  the  ball-room, 
the  mazy  dance,  the  empty  novel,  the  very  heart  of 
a  gay  and  giddy  world  !  Is  this  true  Christianity  ? 
is  this  like  Christ?  is  it  after  his  command,  his  pre- 
cept, and  his  example  ?     Judge  ye. 

But  what  is  the  line  of  duty  marked  out  for  the 
walk  of  a  professing  believer  ?  It  is  as  clear  in  the 
Word  of  God,  as  the  meridian  sun.  Thus  is  it  laid 
down  :  "  Be  not  conformed  to  this  world  :  but  be  ye 
transformed  by  the  renewing  of  your  mind,  that  ye 
may  prove  what  is  that  good,  and  acceptable,  and 
perfect  will  of  God."  Rom.  xii.  2.  "  Come  out  from 
among  them,  and  be  ye  separate,  saith  the  Lord, 
and  touch  not  the  unclean  thing  ;  and  I  will  receive 
you,  and  will  be  a  Father  unto  you,  and  ye  shall  be 
my  sons  and  daughters,  saith  the  Lord  Almighty." 
2  Cor.  vi.  17,  18.  "  Love  not  the  world,  neither  the 
things  that  are  in  the  world.  If  any  maa  love  the 
world,  the  love  of  the  Father  is  not  in  him.  For  all 
that  is  in  the  world,  the  lust  of  the  flesh,  and  the 
lust  of  the  eye,  and  the  pride  of  life,  is  not  of  the 
Father,  but  is  of  the  world."     1   John  ii,   15,  16. 


ON    GRIEVING    THE    SPIRIT.  179 

"  Ye  adulterers  and  adulteresses,  know  ye  not  that 
the  friendship  of  the  world  is  enmity  with  God  ? 
whosoever  therefore  will  be  a  friend  of  the  world,  is 
the  enemy  of  God."  .Tames  iv.  4.  "Pure  religion 
and  undefiled  before  God  and  the  Father,  is  this — 
to  visit  the  fatherless  and  widows  in  their  allliction, 
and  to  keep  himself  unspotted  from  the  world." 
i.  27.  Thus  implicitly  and  clearly  is  the  line  of 
Christian  duty,  in  reference  to  a  believer's  connexion 
with  the  world,  laid  down  by  the  Holy  Ghost ;  he 
cannot  depart  from  it  without  grieving  the  Spirit, 
wounding-  his  own  soul,  and  compromising  his  Chris- 
tian profession. 

Grieve  not,  then,  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God  by  any 
known  inconsistency  of  conduct,  any  sinful  con- 
formity to  tlie  world,  any  inordinate  pursuit  of  its 
wealth,  its  honors,  its  pleasures,  its  friendships,  and 
its  great  things.  Pray  against  the  sin  of  covetous- 
ness,  that  canker-worm  that  feeds  at  the  root  of  so 
many  souls  ;  pray  against  a  love  of  dress,  that  sin 
tliat  diverts  the  mind  of  so  many  professors  from  the 
simplicity  of  Christ,  and  takes  the  eye  off  from  the 
true  adornment ; — pray  against  a  thirst  for  light  and 
trilling  reading,  that  strange  and  sinful  inconsistency 
of  so  many,  the  certain  tendency  of  which  is,  to 
starve  the  life  of  God  in  the  soul,  to  engender  a  dis- 
taste for  spiritual  aliment,  for  the  word  of  God,  for 
holy  meditation,  and  for  Divine  communion  and  fel- 
lowship ;  yea,  pray  against  the  spirit  of  worldly, 
sinful  conformity  in  everything^  that  the  Holy  Spirit 
be  not  grieved,  and  that  Christ  be  not  dishonored 
and  crucified  afresh  in  and  through  you.     It  is  to 


180  ON    GRIEVING    THE    SPIRIT. 

be  feared  that  much  of  the  professed  Christianity  of 
the  day  is  of  a  compromising  cliaracter.  The  spirit 
that  marks  so  many  is,  "  What  will  ye  give  me,  and 
I  will  deliver  him  unto  you  ?"  There  is  a  betraying 
of  Christ  before  the  world — a  bartering  of  Christianity 
for  its  good  opinion,  its  places  of  honor,  and  influ- 
ence, and  emolument.  The  world,  the  flesh,  and 
Satan,  are  ever  on  the  alert  to  frame  a  bargain  with 
a  Christian  professor  for  his  religion.  "  What  will 
you  give  me  in  return  ?"  is  the  eager  inquiry  of  many. 
Oh,  awful  state  !  oh,  fearful  deception  !  oh,  fatal  de- 
lusion !  Reader  !  are  you  a  professing  Christian  ? 
Then  guard  against  the  least  compromise  of  your 
principles,  the  least  betrayal  of  Jesus,  the  first  step  in 
an  inconsistency  of  walk  :  above  all,  pray  and  watch 
against  a  toorldly  CJirlstianily,  a  Christianity  that 
wears  a  fair  exterior,  so  far  as  it  is  composed  of  at- 
tendance upon  sanctuary  services,  and  sacraments, 
and  religious  institutions,  but  which  excludes  from 
it  the  cross  of  the  meek  and  lowly  Lamb  of  God, — a 
Christianity  which  loves  the  world  and  the  things 
of  the  world,  '  makes  a  fair  show  in  the  flesh,'  speaks 
well  of  Christ,  and  yet  betrays  him  with  a  kiss. 

But  let  not  this  be  the  model  of  your  religion. 
You  are  not  of  the  world,  even  as  Christ  was  not  of 
the  world  :  if  the  world  hate  you,  it  hated  him  also 
before  it  hated  you  :  if  you  were  of  the  world,  the 
world  would  love  you.  Marvel  not  at  this  !  Do  not 
expect  more  from  the  world  than  your  Master  re- 
ceived. The  world  that  crowned  your  Lord  with 
thorns,  will  never,  if  you  "livegodly  in  Christ  Jesus," 
crown  you  with  garlands  :  the  world  that  crucified 


ON    GRIEVING    THE    SPIRIT.  181 

him,  will  never,  if  you  are  his  consistent  disciple,  en- 
throne you.  The  world  is  the  sworn  enemy  of  your 
Saviour,  let  it  not  be  your  friend.  No;  come  out  of 
it,  and  be  ye  separate.  Let  your  whole  life  be  a 
solemn  rebuke  of  it:  let  your  integrity  rebuke  its 
want  of  principle, — your  sobriety  rebuke  its  frivo- 
lousness, — your  upright  sincerity  rebuke  its  heart- 
lessness,-^your  crucifixion  to  it  rebuke  its  emptiness, 
folly,  and  sinfulness, — let  your  dress,  your  spirit, 
your  whole  conversation  evince  what  a  splendid 
nothing  is  all  its  pomp,  and  glory,  and  pretension  : 
so  shall  you  resemble  yoiu'  Lord  and  Master, — he 
who  loved  you  unto  death,  whose  glory  was  in  his 
humiliation,  whose  path  was  humble,  lowly,  and 
obscure,  and  whose  death  was  the  ignominious  and 
accursed  death  of  the  cross  :  thus,  too,  you  shall  re- 
semble his  beloved  apostle,  who,  taking  his  place  by 
the  cross,  and  looking  down  upon  the  world  from  the 
holy  elevation  where  he  stood,  could  exclaim,  "  God 
forbid  that  I  should  glory,  save  in  the  cross  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  by  whom  the  world  is  crucified 
unto  me,  and  I  unto  the  world." 

The  Spirit  may  be  grieved  by  a  slight  jjut  npon 
the  means  of  grace  :  these  are  his  channels  for  the 
conveyance  of  his  covenant  blessings  into  the  soul. 
He  works  not  by  miracles  now,  but  by  instrumental- 
ities, by  various  agencies  and  means :  he  communi- 
cates his  blessings  and  transmits  his  voice  through 
the  world,  the  ministry,  the  mercy-seat,  and  various 
other  channels  which  he  has  graciously  provided  for 
the  spiritual  nourishment  of  the  Divine  life  in  the 
soul.  Slight  them  not,  undervalue  them  not,  neglect 
Ki 


182  ON    GRIEVING    THE    SPIRIT. 

them  not.  Look  not  for  his  blessing,  nor  expect  to 
hear  his  voice,  save  as  you  are  found  walking  in  his 
own  appointed  way :  you  will  grieve  him,  and  cause 
him  to  withdraw  his  sensible  presence,  if  any  mean 
of  grace  is  wilfully  undervalued  and  neglected  by 
you.  These  are  the  '  green  pastures,'  where  the 
Shepherd  causes  his  flock  to  rest  at  noon ;  these  are 
the  '  still  waters,'  where  he  leadeth  their  souls  :  and 
if  the  back  is  turned  slightingly  upon  them,  leanness 
and  barrenness,  coldness  and  death,  must  ensue. 
"They  that  wait  upon  the  Lord  shall  renew  their 
strength  ;  they  shall  mount  up  with  wings  as  eagles ; 
they  shall  run  and  not  be  weary,  and  they  shall 
walk  and  not  faint." 

In  a  word  ;  the  Spirit  is  grieved  by  any  deviation 
from  the  strict  and  holy  walk  of  a  child  of  God — by 
any  sense  of  guilt  retained  upon  the  conscience — 
any  sin  unconfessed,  unrepented,  and  unforsaken — 
any  known  defilement  of  the  temple  he  inhabits — 
any  slight  put  upon  Jesus — any  neglect  of  the  aton- 
ing blood — any  Ught  and  trifling  deportment — any 
uncharitable  walk  towards  other  Christians — any 
taking  of  the  judgment-seat  against  them, — all  these 
must  be  grieving  to  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God. 


CHAPTER   VIL 

THE    FRUITLESS    AND    THE    FRUITFUL    PROFESSOR. 

"  Every  branch  in  me  that  beareth  not  fruit  he  taketh  away  :  and  every 
branch  that  beareth  fruit,  he  purgeth  it,  that  it  may  bring  forth  more  fruit." 
— John  XT.  2. 

If  there  were  any  one  feature  in  our  Lord's  min- 
istrations more  peculiarly  impressive  than  another,  it 
was  the  discriminating  character  that  marked  them. 
No  one,  on  hearing  him,  could  retire  without  the 
deep  conviction  that  he  was  the  man  whose  moral 
image  Jesus  had  been  drawing,  and  in  such  true  and 
vivid  resemblance,  as  to  compel  him  to  acknowledge 
the  faithfulness  of  the  portrait.  There  was  no  per- 
sonality, no  harshness,  no  unnecessary  keenness  in 
his  reproof,  no  exaggeration  of  coloring,  nothing 
overdrawn  :  but  such  a  simple,  faithful,  scriptural 
dealing  with  human  conscience,  as  either  compelled 
his  hearers  to  submit  to  his  authority,  and  rank 
themselves  among  his  followers,  or  to  retire,  silenced, 
self-accused,  and  self-condemned.  Thus  it  is  re- 
corded at  the  conclusion  of  one  of  his  discourses, — 
"And  when  the  chief  priests  and  Pharisees  had 
heard  his  parables,  they  perceived  that  he  spake  of 
them."  Matt.  xxi.  45  ;  and  on  another  occasion  we 
read,  as  the  result  of  one  of  his  peculiar  and  em- 
phatic modes  of  teaching,- — "  And  they  which  heard 
it,  being  convicted  by  their  own  conscience,  w^ent  out 


184  THE    FRUITLESS    AND 

one  by  one,  beginning  at  the  eldest,  even  unto  the 
last."  John  viii.  9. 

In  the  parable  of  the  vine  and  the  branch,  we 
have,  perhaps,  one  of  the  most  striking  specimens 
of  our  Lord's  analytical  style  of  instruction.  He 
who  formed  the  heart,  and  knew, — in  consequence 
of  its  apostacy, — how  deeply  it  was  tainted  with 
evil,  was  not  ignorant  how  far  a  man  could  go  in  an 
outward  profession  of  his  name,  and  yet  live  and 
die  destitute  of  regenerating  grace.  In  the  parable, 
therefore,  to  which  we  have  alluded,  he  goes  into  a 
faithful  and  searching  discrimination  of  character, 
lays  bare  the  evil  to  which  men  were  exposed,  warns 
them  of  the  danger  of  self-deception,  distinguishes 
between  the  true  and  the  false  professor,  and  de- 
scribes, in  striking  and  affecting  terms,  the  final  state 
of  both  :  "  I  am  the  true  vine,  and  my  Father  is 
the  husbandman.  Every  branch  in  me  that  bear- 
eth  not  fruit  he  taketh  away  :  and  every  branch  that 
beareth  fruit,  he  purgeth  it,  that  it  may  bring  forth 
more  fruit."  In  tliese  words  of  our  dear  Lord,  we 
have  first,  a  solemn  description  of  a  fruitless  pro- 
fessor ;  he  then  directs  us  to  the  pruning  of  the  fruit- 
ful branch,  and  he  assigns  a  reason  why  he  prunes 
it — "  that  it  may  bring  forth  more  fruit."  Let  us, 
in  the  present  chapter,  take  the  description  of  the 
fruifiess  j^^ofessor,  as  the  basis  of  our  first  re- 
flections. 

That  there  can  exist  such  a  state  as  a  fruitless 
professor  of  the  Gospel,  is,  perhaps,  one  of  the  most 
indubitable  evidences  of  the  deep  degeneracy  of  the 
human  heart,  and  its  natural  tendency  to  self-decep- 


THE    FRUITFUL    PROFESSOR.  185 

tion,  that  exists.  "  The  heart  is  deceitful  above  all 
things,  and  desperately  wicked  :"  and  here  is  the 
proof,  if  all  other  were  wanting,  that  an  individual 
may  approach  so  near  in  his  external  resejiiblance 
to  a  child  of  God,  may  look  so  like  a  believer  in 
Jesue,  may  appear  to  be  united  to  him,  and  still  re- 
main among  the  dead.  Of  all  states  this  side  of 
eternity,  this  is  the  most  awful ;  and  yet  it  is  to  be 
feared,  if  we  are  to  judge  of  the  tree  by  its  fruits, 
and  not  by  its  leaves,  that  this  is  the  state  of  thou- 
sands at  ihe  present  moment.  How  important,  may 
we  not  pause  to  remark,  that  the  ministers  of  the 
Gospel — ^those  who  stand  between  the  living  and 
the  dead — should  model  their  ministry,  as  closely  as 
they  can,  after  their  blessed  Lord's  ;  that  they  should 
be  careful  how  they  preached, — that  their  preach- 
ing should  be  discriminating  without  being  <liarsh, 
pointed  without  being  personal,  searching  without 
being  caustic ;  that  no  hearer  should  go  away  fiom 
beneath  their  ministrations,  without  a  faithful  delin- 
eation of  his  own  character,  the  voice  sounding  in 
his  conscience,  and  following  him  amid  all  his  wind- 
ings and  his  wanderings,  "  Thou  art  the  man  !" 

An  expression  of  our  Lord's  may  need  a  moment's 
explanation  :  he  speaks  of  the  fruitless  branch  as 
united  to  himself, — "  Every  branch  in  me  that  bear- 
eth  not  fruit."  We  are  not  to  understand  this  of  a 
vital  union,  a  spiritual  grafting  into  Christ;  tiie 
analogy  of  truth  is  opposed  to  such  an  interpreta- 
tion. The  word  of  God  invariably  maintains  the 
influential  character  of  a  living  faith, — that  it  is  ever 
productive  of  the  fruits  of  holiness, — that  a  union  to 
1(3* 


186  THE    FRUITLESS    AND 

Christ  will  always  result  in  a  living  to  God  :  to  sup- 
pose, therefore,  that  a  dead  and  fruitless  branch 
could  be  vitally  in  Christ,  is  to  suppose  that  the  word 
of  God  was  against  itself,  which  can  never  be.  But 
we  are  to  understand  our  Lord  as  referring  to  an 
external  union,  to  an  ouhvard  jjrofession  o*ily. 
There  is  such  a  thing  as  being  externally  in  Christ; 
in  him  by  an  avowal  of  attachment  to  his  cross,  by 
a  profession  of  his  name,  by  adherence  to  his  cause, 
by  an  apparent  zeal  for  his  glory :  all  this  may  ex- 
ist, and  in  thousands  does  exist,  without  one  par- 
ticle of  real,  spiritual,  life-deriving  union  to  Christ. 
We  may  repair  to  a  nursery,  and  may  lop  off  a 
branch  from  a  dead  tree,  and  simply  tie  it  to  a  living 
tree,  and  to  all  appearance  it  may  resemble  a  true 
vital  graft.  A  casual  observer  may  be  deceived ; 
but  tii«e  proves  its  false  appearance  :  we  come  and 
look  for  fruit,  the  natural  result  of  true  grafting,  and 
we  find  nothing  save  a  lifeless,  sapless,  barren 
branch,  externally  united  to  the  living  tree.  Look  at 
sLich  a  professor  !  Where  is  the  fruit?  where  is  the 
real  severing  from  the  wild  olive-tree  ?  where  is  the 
great  separation  between  himself  and  his  own  right- 
eousness ?  where  is  the  breaking  up  of  the  fallow 
ground  of  a  hard,  corrupt,  stony  heart?  where  is  the 
humble,  lowly,  contrite  spirit?  where  is  the  self- 
loathing,  self-abhorrence,  self  accusing,  self-condem- 
nation? Hear  we  the  cry,  "  God  be  merciful  to  me 
a  sinner?"  Mark  we  the  low  posture  in  the  dust, 
the  smiting  upon  the  breast,  the  standing  afar  off 
the  eye  not  lifted  even  towards  the  dwelling-place  of 
a  holy  God  ?     Where,  too,  is  a  living  faith  in  Christ, 


THE    FRUITFUL    PROFESSOR.  187 

a  living  upon  Christ,  and  a  living  to  Christ  ?  Where 
is  conformity  to  the  Divine  image?  Where  the 
fruits  of  holiness  increasing  and  abounding?  What 
of  the  spirit,  the  meekness,  tiie  lowliness,  the  gentle- 
ness, the  sanctity  of  Jesus,  do  we  discover?  What 
self-denial,  bearing  of  the  cross,  crucifixion  to  sin, 
deadness  to  the  world,  and  living  for  eternity,  do  we 
trace  ?  Alas  !  alas  !  we  have  mistaken  the  external 
profession  for  a  vital,  spiritual  union  to  Christ !  And 
is  it  any  marvel,  that  when  we  came  seeking  fruit 
from  such  a  branch,  we  should  have  found  none  ? 

But  look  at  the  profession  of  our  day.  If  to  put 
on  the  Lord  Jesus  by  an  outward  avowal  of  his  re- 
ligion,— if  to  profess  and  call  themselves  Christians, 
— if  to  bow  the  knee  at  the  mention  of  his  name, — 
if  to  partake  of  the  outward  symbols  of  his  body  and 
his  blood, — if  to  speak  well  of  Jesus, — assent  and 
consent  to  his  doctrine,  approve  of  his  Gospel,  follow 
his  ministers,  crowd  his  temple,  contribute  hberally 
to  his  cause, — if  these  constitute  the  sole  and  essen- 
tial elements  of  real  spiritual  union  to  Christ,  then 
may  we  not  exclaim,— "The  millennium  has  bro- 
ken upon  us  in  noontide  splendor  !"  We  speak  of 
no  single  sect,  we  speak  of  all  rehgious  sects,  for 
among  all  are  to  be  found  the  lifeless,  fruitless  pro- 
fessor. Was  it  not  so  in  the  days  of  our  Lord,  and 
during  the  searching  ministry  of  his  apostles?  Dis- 
cruninating  in  his  preaching  as  he  was,  and  vigilant 
as  they  were  in  their  oversight  of  the  flock,  false 
professors  abounded  in  their  time,  and  even  rose  to 
places  of  distinction  in  the  church.  Look  at  the 
case  of  Simon  Magus :  he  was  but  3i  fruitless  pro- 


188  THE    FRUITLESS    AND 

fessor :  concerning  whom  it  is  recorded  that  he  had 
"neither  part  nor  lot  in  the  matter — that  his  heart 
was  not  right  in  the  sight  of  God — that  he  was  in 
the  gall  of  bitterness,  and  in  the  bond  of  iniquity." 
Look  at  the  case  of  Demas ;  he  was  but  a  fruitless 
professor^  "  Demas  hath  forsaken  me,"  writes  the 
apostle,  '•  having  loved  this  present  world."  And 
look  at  that  eminent  and  awful  instance  of  a  mere 
external  union  to  Christ — a  fruitless  profession  of  his 
name — Judas  Iscariot ;  in  reference  to  whom,  Jesus 
prays  to  his  Father,  "  those  that  thou  gavest  me  I 
have  kept,  and  none  of  them  is  lost,  but  the  son  of 
perdition."  And  to  those  whose  union  to  himself 
was  but  external,  and  whose  life  was  fruitless,  our 
Lord  alludes  in  these  solemn  words,  '•'  Strive  to  enter 
in  at  the  strait  gate  :  for  many,  1  say  unto  you,  will 
seek  to  enter  in  and  ^hall  not  be  able.  When  once  the 
master  of  the  house  is  risen  up,  and  hath  shut  to  the 
door,  and  ye  begin  to  stand  without,  and  to  knock  at 
the  door,  saying,  Lord,  Lord,  open  to  us ;  and  he 
shall  answer  and  say  unto  you,  I  know  you  not 
whence  ye  are.  Then  shall  ye  begin  to  say.  We  have 
eaten  and  drunk  in  thy  presence,  and  thou  hast  taught 
in  our  streets.  But  he  shall  say,  I  tell  you,  I  know  you 
not  whence  ye  are;  depart  from  me,  all  ye  wqrkers 
of  iniquity.  There  shall  be  weeping  and  gnashing 
of  teeth,  when  ye  shall  see  Abraham,  and  Isaac,  and 
Jacob,  and  all  the  prophets,  in  the  kingdom  of  God, 
and  you  yourselves  thrust  out."  Luke  xiii.  24 — 28. 
If  possible,  in  yet  more  awful  terms  does  the  word 
of  God  unfold  the  final  doom  of  the  Christless,  fruit- 
less professor.     "  Every  tree  which  bringeth  not  forth 


THE    FRUITFUL    PROFESSOR.  189 

good  fruit,  is  hewn  down  and  cast  into  the  jireP 
'•'•  Whose  fan  is  in  his  hand,  and  he  will  thoroughly 
purge  his  floor,  and  gather  his  wheat  into  his  garner  ; 
hut  he  will  hum  up  the  chaff  tvith  unquenchahle 
fire:'     Matt.  iii.  10,  12. 

But  it  is  not  often  the  case  that  the  fruitless  pro- 
fessor clings  even  to  his  bare  profession,  until  his 
doom  arrives.  There  are  many,  who,  long  before 
the  awful  note  of  approaching  judgment  falls  on 
their  ear,  throw  off  the  outward  garb,  and  stand 
forth  in  their  true  character.  Our  Lord  seems  to  in- 
timate this  in  various  parts  of  his  word  ;  especially 
in  his  explanation  of  the  parable  of  the  sower,  does 
he  refer  to  it  in  clear  and  aflecting  terms, — "  Those 
by  the  way  side  are  they  that  hear :  then  cometh 
the  devil,  and  taketh  away  the  word  out  of  their 
hearts,  lest  they  should  believe  it  and  be  saved. 
They  on  the  rock  are  they,  which,  when  they  hear 
receive  the  word  with  joy ;  and  these  have  no  root, 
which  for  a  while  believe,  and  in  time  of  temptation 
fall  away.  And  that  which  fell  among  thorns  are 
they,  which,  when  they  have  heard,  go  forth  and  are 
choked  with  cares  and  riches  and  pleasures  of  this 
life,  and  bring  no  fruit  to  perfection."  Luke  viii.  12 
— 14.  These  are  they  whom  the  spiritual  Husband- 
man "  taketh  away."  The  season  of  temptation, 
the  time  of  persecution,  the  accumulation  of  worldly 
cares,  the  increase  and  glitter  of  riches,  are  periods 
and  occasions  that  place  a  man's  religion  in  the 
crucible,  that  bring  it  to  the  test.  The  bare  profes- 
sor cannot  stand  it.     The  wind  sweeps  over  the  tree. 


190  THE    FRUITLESS    AND 

and  all  its  leaves  are  scattered.     The  fire  kindles 
around  the  ore,  and  proves  it  to  be  base  metal. 

But  let  us  not  be  misunderstood.  We  dare  not 
affirm  of  all  mere  profession  of  the  Gospel,  that  its 
false  character  soon  discovers  itself.  There  are 
thousands  who  make  mammon  their  trust,  '  whose 
god  is  their  belly,  whose  glory  is  their  shame,  who 
mind  earthly  things  :'  and  whose  '  end,'  if  they  are 
not  brought  to  true  repentance,  will  be  '  destruction  :' 
who  yet,  in  the  midst  of  it  all,  rigidly  maintain  the 
form  of  Godliness,  and  who  would  regard  it  as  the 
greatest  olfence,  were  their  Christianity  for  a  moment 
doubled.  Oh,  the  heart  is  deep  and  treacherous  as 
the  sea  ;  and  they  who  trust  it  will  be  fearfully  and 
eternally  ruined  !  A  man  may  be  a  lover  of  pleasure, 
and  a  lover  of  the  world,  and  a  lover  of  sin, — his 
heart  may  go  after  covetousness,  and  his  mind  may 
be  immersed  in  worldly  cares,  and  all  the  while  be  a 
rigid  formalist,  and  a  proud  Pharisee,  and  a  noisy 
disputant,  and  even  suffer  persecution  for  conscience' 
sake,  rather  than  yield  a  principle  bearing  upon 
some  lesser  matter  of  the  law.  But  we  would  now 
turn  the  reader's  attention  to  the  pruning  of  the 

FRUITFUL  BRANCH. 

Our  dear  Lord's  words  are  deep  and  rich  in  mean- 
ing :  "  Every  branch  that  bearelli  fruit,  he  purgeth 
it."  Here  is  life,  here  is  true  union  ;  it  is  a  fruitful 
branch,  deriving  its  fruitfulness  from  its  vital  union  to 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  It  will  be  observed  that  this 
fruit-bearing  branch  is  in  Christ ;  grafted  upon  him, 
united  to  him,  and  dwelling  in  him,  as  the  branch  is 
one  with  the  vine.     The  union  of  the  believer  with 


THE    FRUITFUL    PROFESSOR.  101 

Jesus,  and  the  consequent  fruitfulness,  is  a  glorious 
truth  :  the  Holy  Ghost,  in  his  word,  has  laid  great 
stress  upon  it.  It  is  spoken  of  as  being  i7i  Christ  ; 
"Every  branch  in  me;"  "  If  any  man  be  in  Christ, 
he  is  a  new  creature  ;"  "  So  we,  being  many,  are 
one  body  in  Christ ;"  "  They  that  are  fallen  asleep 
in  Christ.''^  But  in  what  sense  are  we  to  under- 
stand this  being  "in  Christ?"  We  have  shown 
how  a  fruitless  professor  may  be  externally  united  to 
Christ,  there  being  no  Divine  life  in  the  soul,  no 
true  faith,  and  consequently  no  spiritual  fruitfulness  : 
he  is  "  dead  while  he  hveth,"  But  to  be  in  Christ 
truly,  spiritually,  vitally,  is  more  than  this ;  it  is  to 
be  in  that  eternal  covenant  of  grace  made  with 
Christ,  as  the  Surety  and  Mediator  of  his  people  ; 
one  of  the  number  spoken  of  as  the  Lord's  "  peculiar 
treasure," — "  For  the  Lord  hath  chosen  Jacob  utito 
himself,  and  Israel  for  his  peculiar  treasure,"  Psalm 
cxxxv.  4  ;  and  concerning  whom  the  Holy  Ghost 
declares  that  they  are  elected  in  Christy — "  Blessed  be 
the  God  and  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who 
hath  blessed  us  with  all  spiritual  blessings  in  hea- 
venly things  in  Christ :  according  as  he  hath  chosen 
us  in  him  before  the  foundation  of  the  world,  that 
we  should  be  holy  and  without  blame  before  him  in 
love."  Eph.  i.  3,  4.  To  be  "  in  Christ"  truly,  is  to 
stand  accepted  in  his  righteousness,  to  be  justified 
by  him  freely  from  all  things  ;  it  is  to  be  brought  to 
the  knowledge  of  our  own  vileness,  insufficiency, 
and  guilt ;  to  be  made  to  cast  aside  all  self-depend- 
ence, that  is,  all  works  of  human  merit,  and  to  come 
as  the  thief  on  the  cross  came,  without  any  allowed 


192  THE    FRUITLESS    AND 

confidence  in  aught  of  self,  but  as  a  poor,  helpless, 
mined  condemned  sinner,  all  whose  hope  of  pardon 
and  acceptance  is  through  the  free  mercy  of  God  in 
Christ  Jesus.  To  be  "in  Christ,"  is  to  be  the  sub- 
ject of  a  living,  holy,  influential  principle  of  faith  :  it 
is  to  be  brought  into  the  blessed  state  thus  described 
by  the  apostle  as  his  own  :  "I  am  crucified  with 
Christ :  nevertheless  I  live  ;  yet  not  I,  but  Christ 
liveth  in  me  ;  and  the  life  which  I  now  live  in  the 
flesh  I  live  by  the  faith  of  the  Son  of  God,  who  loved 
me,  and  gave  himself  for  me."  Gal.  ii.  20.  To  be 
"  in  Christ,"  is  to  be  one  with  him ;  it  is  to  be  a 
member  of  his  mystical  body,  of  which  he  is  the 
spiritual  head  ;  and  the  head  and  the  members  are 
one.  It  is  to  have  Christ  dwelling  in  the  heart : 
"  Christ  in  you  the  hope  of  glory" — "  Know  ye  not 
that  Christ  dwelleth  in  you,  except  ye  be  repro- 
bates?"— "I  in  them."  Yea,  it  is  to  dwell  in  the 
heart  of  Christ ;  it  is  to  rest  there  in  the  very  pavil- 
ion of  his  love,  to  dwell  there  every  moment,  to  be 
sheltered  there  from  all  evil,  and  to  be  soothed  there 
under  all  sorrow.  Oh  blessed  state  of  being  "  in 
Christ !"  who  would  not  experience  it?  who  would 
not  enjoy  it.  "  There  is  therefore  now  no  condem- 
nation to  them  that  are  in  Christ  Jesus,  who  walk 
not  after  the  flesh,  but  after  the  Spirit."  Rom.  viii.  1. 
These  are  the  living  branches  united  to  the  true 
Vine,  which  bear  fruit.  From  their  union  to  the 
livmg  Vine  their  fruit  comes  :  "  From  me  is  thy  fruit 
found  ;"  "  as  the  branch  cannot  bear  fruit  of  itself, 
except  it  abide  in  the  vine ;  no  more  can  ye,  except 
ye  abide  in  me."     And  oh  what  precious  fruit  does 


THE    FRUITFUL    PROFESSOR.  •  193 

such  a  living  branch  bear !  the  broken  heart — the 
contrite  spirit — the  mourning  over  sin — the  low, 
abasing,  humbling  views  of  self — the  venturing  by 
faith  on  a  full,  mighty,  wilhng  Saviour — the  going 
out  of  self,  and  resting  in  his  all-atoning  work  and 
all-satisfying  righteousness.  This  followed  by  a  pro- 
gressive advance  in  all  holiness  and  Godliness,  the 
fruits  of  faith  which  are  by  Jesus  Christ,  abounding 
in  the  life,  and  proving  the  reality  of  the  wondrous 
change. — the  close  walk  with  God, — the  submission 
of  the  will  in  all  tilings  to  bis, — the  conformity  of 
the  life  to  the  example  of  Jesus,  the  "  power  of  his 
resurrection"  felt — the  "  fellowship  of  his  sufferings" 
known — and  "  conformity  to  his  death"  marking  the 
entire  man.     Phil.  iii.  10. 

These  are  some  of  the  fruits  of  a  truly  regenerate 
soul.  The  Holy  Ghost  testifies,  that  the  "  fruit  of 
the  Spirit  is  in  all  goodness,  and  righteousness,  and 
truth ;"  and  still  more  minutely  as  consisting  of 
"  love,  joy,  peace,  long-suffering,  gentleness,  good- 
ness, faith,  meekness,  temperance." 

Now  observe,  it  is  the  fruitful  branch  only  that 
the  Husbandman  pruneth :  "  every  branch  that 
beareth  fruit,  he  purge(h  it."  If  it  be  asked — why? 
tlie  answer  is,  because  it  is  only  \\\e  fruitful  branch 
that  beareth  the  pruning.  He  pruneth  it,  because 
it  is  fruitful,  because  it  has  life  from,  and  union 
with,  th^'Vine.  This  purging,  or  pruning  of  the 
fruitful  believer  by  the  liOrd,  is  the  trial  of  his  own 
work.  The  very  discipline  which  a  covenant  God 
employs  with  his  child,  proves  the  existence  and 
reality  of  grace  in  the  soul.  It  is  not  the  lifeless 
17 


194  THE    FRUITLESS    AND 

branch  that  he  pruneth,  it  is  not  the  spurious  ore 
that  he  putteth  in  the  furnace.     When  he  takes  his 
child  in  hand  to  deal  with  him,  it  is  with  a  view  of 
drawing  forth  the  grace  which  he  has  first  implanted 
in  the  soul.     The  very  trial  of  faith,  supposes  the 
existence  of  faith ;  and  the  trial  of  any  one  grace 
of  the  Spirit,   supposes  the  previous  indwelUng  of 
that  grace  in  the  behever.     No  man  goes  to  a  dry 
well  to  draw  water  from  it ;  no  man  goes  to  a  bank 
in  which  he  has  made  no  previous  deposit,  to  draw 
money  from  it.    When  God, — the  spiritual  Husband- 
man of  the  church, — comes  into  his  garden,    and 
walks  amid  the  "  trees  of  righteousness,"  and  in  his 
sovereignty  marks  one  here  and  another  there  for 
discipline,  for  pruning,  whom  does  he  select  for  this 
blessed  purpose,  but  the  trees  which  he  has  himself 
planted  ?     Jesus,  the  Vine,  has  declared,  that  '  every 
plant  which  his  heavenly  Father  hath  not  planted, 
shall  be  rooted  up.'     And  have  we  not  often  seen 
the  solemn  fulfilment  of   this  threatening   in  the 
case   of    graceless   professors  ?  —  the    fiist    blast   of 
temptation  has  carried  them  away,  root  and  branch. 
God,   perhaps,   has  brought  them  into  deep  trial ; 
the  storm  of  adversity  has  fallen  upon  them ;  death 
has  snatched  away  the  "  desire  of  their  eyes  with  a 
stroke ;"  riches  have  taken  wings  and  flown  away ; 
character  has  been  assailed ;  temptations  have  over- 
taken them  ;  and  what  has  been  their  ^d  ?     We 
look  for  their  religion, — it  has  fled  away  like  the 
chaflT  of    the    threshing-floor    before   the    sweeping 
hurricane ;    their  profession, — it  is  all  gone ;   their 
prayers,  —  they   have   evaporated   into   empty   air. 


THE  FRUITFUL  PROFESSOR.  195 

The  solemn  '  place  of  the  holy '  that  knew  them, 
knows  them  no  more  ;  the  pruning  knife  left  not  a 
limb  standing ;  the  furnace  tested  the  ore,  and  it 
proved  nothing  but  tin.  And  so  it  will  prove  with 
every  plant  that  our  heavenly  Father  has  not 
planted  ;  and  so  with  all  the  wood,  hay,  and  stub- 
ble, built  upon  an  outward  acknowledgment  and 
profession  of  Christ.  And  oh  their  end !  "  For  if 
after  they  have  escaped  the  pollutions  of  the  world 
through  the  knowledge  (not  an  experimental  or 
saving  knowledge  is  here  meant)  of  the  Lord  and 
Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  they  are  again  entangled 
therein,  and  overcome,  the  latter  end  is  worse  with 
them  than  the  beginning.  For  it  had  been  better 
for  them  not  to  have  known  the  way  of  righteous- 
ness, than,  after  they  have  known  it,  to  turn  from 
the  holy  connnandment  delivered  unto  them.  But 
it  is  happened  unto  them  according  to  the  true 
proverb,  The  dog  is  turned  to  his  own  vomit  again ; 
and  the  sow  that  was  washed  to  her  wallowing  in 
the  mire."     2  Pet.  ii.  20—22. 

But  the  true  child  of  the  covenant,  the  Lord 
tries;  the  living,  fruitful  branch,  the  Husbandman 
prunes.  There  is  that  in  every  believer,  yea,  the 
most  eminent  child  of  God, — eminent  for  his  holy 
and  close  walk, — that  needeth  pruning.  We  can- 
not always  see  the  necessity  of  the  discipline ;  we 
wonder,  often,  why  such  a  believer  is  so  constantly, 
and,  in  a  sense,  so  severely  dealt  with.  We  look  at 
his  godly  conversation  in  all  things  ;  we  mark  his 
holy  deportment,  his  consistent  walk,  his  lowly 
spirit,  his  spiritual  gifts  and  graces,  his  devotedness 


196  THE    FRUITLESS    AND 

and  zeal  in  the  cause  of  the  Lord,  and  we  exclaim, 
"  Lord,  make  me  like  him,  as  he  is  like  thee ! " 
And  when  we  see  the  cedar  in  Lebanon  bend  be- 
fore the  sweeping  tempest — when  we  mark  how 
the  man  of  God  becomes  the  subject  of  the  most 
overwhelming  afflictions,  how  wave  follows  wave, 
and  messenger  after  messenger  comes  with  tidings 
of  evil  still  more  bitter  than  the  last, — when  we  see 
this  mercy  blasted,  that  comfort  removed, — here  a 
check,  and  there  a  disappointment,  and  he  whom 
we  gazed  upon  as  one  in  whom  the  Lord  had 
deposited  great  grace,  and  favored  with  peculiar 
nearness  and  conformity  to  himself  thus  deeply 
afflicted, — we  marvel  that  the  dear  Husbandman 
should  prune  him  as  he  does.  But  what  says  the 
Husbandman? — "  I,  the  Lord,  search  the  heart." 
Here  is  the  secret  revealed  ;  the  hidden  evil  of  that 
holy  man  of  God  we  could  not  discover.  The 
powerful  corruptions  that  dwelt  in  his  heart, — which 
he,  in  a  degree,  knew,  and  mourned  over  and  con- 
fessed daily  before  the  Lord, — were  concealed  from 
our  eye ;  and  while  we  were  judging  from  outward 
appearance, — and,  it  may  be,  judging  correctly  too, 
for  by  their  fruits  we  are  to  know  the  true  and  the 
false  professors, — the  Lord  was  probing  and  search- 
ing the  heart,  and  for  the  subjugation  of  the  evil 
that  he  discovered  there,  was  thus  disciplining,  and 
pruning,  and  purging  his  beloved  child. 

Dear  reader,  if  thou  art  experimentally  acquainted 
with  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus,  if  thou  art  a  living 
branch  of  the  true  vine,  it  will  be  nothing  new  for 
you  to  be  informed,  that  the  Canaanites  still  dwell  in 


THE  FRUITFUL  PROFESSOR.  197 

the  land.  You  will  recollect,  that  when  the  children 
of  Israel  took  possession  of  Canaan,  although  they 
conquered  its  inhabitants,  and  took  supreme  posses- 
sion and  government  of  the  country,  yet  the  former 
occupants  of  the  soil  they  could  not  entirely  dispos- 
sess. The  circumstance  is  thus  recorded  :  ''  The 
children  of  Manasseh  could  not  drive  out  the  inhab- 
itants of  those  cities ;  but  the  Canaanites  would 
dwell  in  that  land."  Josh.  xvii.  12,  Now  what  these 
Canaanites,  these  heathenish  idolators,  were  to  the 
children  of  Israel,  the  natural  corruptions  of  the 
heart  are  to  the  called  children  of  God.  After  all 
that  Divine  and  sovereign  mercy  has  done  for  the 
soul, — though  the  inhabitants  of  the  land  have  been 
conquered,  and  the  heart  has  yielded  to  the  power 
of  omnipotent  grace  and  the  '  strong  man  armed' 
has  been  deposed,  and  Jesus  has  taken  the  throne, 
yet  the  Canaanites  will  dwell  in  the  land,  and  we 
cannot  expel  them  thence.  These  are  the  natural 
corruptions  of  our  fallen  nature,  the  evils  of  a  heart 
that  is  but  partially  renewed,  the  heathenish  lusts, 
and  passions,  and  infirmities  that  formerly  were  the 
sole  occupants  of  the  soil,  and  still  dwell  there,  and 
which  we  shall  never,  in  the  present  state,  entirely 
dispossess.  But  what  did  the  children  of  Israel  do 
to  these  Canaanites  whom  they  could  not  drive  out 
of  the  cities,  but  who  would  dwell  in  the  land  7  We 
read  in  the  ISth  verse :  "  Yet  it  came  to  pass  when 
the  children  of  Israel  were  waxing  strong,  that  they 
pnt  the  Canaanites  to  tribute ;  but  did  not  utterly 
drive  them  out."  Now  this  is  what  the  children  of 
God  must  do  with  the  spiritual  Canaanites  that  yet 
17* 


198  THE     FRUITLESS    AND 

dwell  in  the  renewed  heart :  they  cannot  be  driven 
out,  hut  they  may  be  jnit  to  tribute  ;  they  cannot 
be  entirely  extirpated,  yet  they  may  be  brought  into 
complete  subjection,  and  even  made  to  contribute  to 
the  spiritual  advance  of  the  soul,  and  to  the  glory  of 
God.  Yes,  even  these  very  indwelling  and  power- 
ful Canaanites,  these  strong  corruptions  that  war 
and  fight  in  the  renewed  soul,  may  be  made  subser- 
vient to  the  spiritual  benefit  of  a  child  of  God.  Will 
it  not  be  so,  if  they  lead  him  to  put  no  confidence  in 
himself,  to  draw  largely  from  the  fulness  of  grace  in 
Jesus,  to  repair  often  to  the  throne  of  mercy,  to  deal 
much  and  closely  with  the  atoning  blood,  to  culti- 
vate a  watchful,  prayerful,  tender  spirit,  and  daily 
and  hourly  to  rejoice  in  Christ  Jesus,  having  no  con- 
fidence in  the  flesh  ?  And  yet  all  this  may  be  the 
result,  when  the  believer  has  waxen  strong  in  the 
Divine  life,  and  has  learned  to  put  his  indwelling 
corruptions  to  tribute,  though  he  may  not  utterly 
expel  them  from  his  breast.  Thus  "  God  turned 
the  curse  of  Balaam  into  a  blessing,"  Neh.  xiii.  2; 
and  thus,  too,  may  the  renewed  soul, — often  led  to 
exclaim,  "  O  wretched  man  that  I  am  !  who  shall 
deliver  me  from  the  body  of  this  death  ?" — through 
a  supply  of  the  Spirit  of  Christ  Jesus,  and  becoming 
more  thoroughly  versed  in  the  art  of  the  holy  war, 
be  able  to  turn  the  risings  of  his  indwelling  sins  into 
occasions  of  more  holy  and  humble  walk  with  God. 
Happy  believer,  the  tendency  and  real  effect  of 
whose  indwelling  infirmities  of  the  flesh  and  the 
spirit  are,  to  school  the  soul  in  the  knowledge  of  its 
own  nothingness,  to  constrain  it  to  a  soft  and  lowly 


THE    FRUITFUL    PROFESSOR.  199 

walk,  and  to  endear  the  blood,  the  mercy-scat,  and 
the  holy  of  holies,  into  which  the  most  burthened, 
distressed,  and  humble  soul  may  at  all  times  enter ! 

This  pruning  does  not  destroy  or  weaken  the 
power  of  the  Divine  life  in  the  soul.  We  may  go 
to  a  tree  of  the  forest,  and  prune  it  of  every  branch, 
yea,  we  may  level  it  to  the  earth ;  and  yet, — the  prin- 
ciple of  life  biill  remaining. — the  genial  showers,  and 
the  warm  sunshine,  will  cause  it  again  to  spring 
forth,  and  bud,  blossom,  and  bear  fruit.  The  Divine 
life  in  the  soul  of  man  is  indestructible, — it  cannot 
perish ;  the  seed  that  grace  has  implanted  in  the 
heart  is  incorruptible, — it  cannot  be  corrupted.  So 
far  from  trials,  and  conflicts,  and  storms,  and  tem- 
pests, impairing  the  principle  of  holiness  in  the  soul, 
they  do  but  deepen  and  strengthen  it,  and  tend 
greatly  to  its  growth.  We  look  at  Job :  who  of  mere 
man  was  ever  more  keenly  tried,  or  more  closely 
pruned  than  he  ? — and  yet,  so  far  from  destroying, 
or  even  weakening,  the  Divine  life  within  him,  the 
severe  discipline  of  the  covenant,  through  which  he 
passed,  did  but  deepen  and  expand  the  root,  bring- 
ing forth  in  richer  clusters  the  blessed  fruits  of  holi- 
ness. Think  you,  dear  reader,  the  Divine  life  in  his 
soul  had  undergone  any  change  for  the  worse,  when, 
as  the  result  of  God's  covenant  dealings  with  him, 
as  the  effects  of  the  severe  pruning  of  the  fruitful 
branch,  he  exclaimed, — "  I  have  heard  of  thee  by 
the  hearing  of  the  ear,  but  now  mine  eye  seeth  thee  : 
wherefore  I  abhor  myself,  and  repent  in  dust  and 
ashes  ?"'  No  :  the  pruning  of  the  fruitful  branch  im- 
pairs not,  but  rather  strengthens  and  renders  more 


200  THE    FRUITLESS    AND 

fruitful  the  principle  of  holiness  in  the  soul,  as  we 
now  proceed  to  show.  The  pruning  of  the  fruitful 
branch,  our  Lord  declares,  is  with  the  view  of  its  in- 
creased fruitfulness  :  "  Every  branch  that  bear- 
etli  fruit,  he  purgeth  it,  that  it  may  bring  forth 
more  fruits 

It  is  the  will  of  God  that  his  people  should  be  a 
fruitful  people.  "  This  is  the  will  of  God,  even  your 
sanctification," — the  sanctification  of  a  believer  in- 
cluding all  fruitfulness.  He  will  bring  out  his  own 
work  in  the  heart  of  his  child  ;  he  will  show  that 
where  grace  dwells,  it  is  productive  of  good  fruit : 
and  never  does  he  take  his  child  in  hand  with  a 
view  of  dealing  with  him  according  to  the  tenor  of 
the  covenant  of  grace,  but  that  dealing  results  in  a 
greater  degree  of  spiritual  fruitfulness.  Now,  wlien 
the  Lord  afflicts,  and  the  Holy  Ghost  sanctifies  the 
affliction  of  the  believer,  are  not  these  among  the 
costly  fruit  of  that  discipline?  In  the  first  place, 
self  has  becom,e  more  hateful.  This,  God  declared 
should  be  the  result  of  his  dealings  with  his  ancient 
people  Israel,  for  their  idolatry,—"  They  shall  loathe 
themselves  for  the  evils  which  they  have  committed 
in  all  their  abominations."  And  again, — "Then 
shall  ye  remember  your  ways,  and  all  your  doings 
wherein  ye  have  been  defiled  :  and  ye  shall  loathe 
yourselves  in  your  own  sight,  for  all  your  evils  that 
ye  have  committed."  And  when  the  Divine  com- 
passion was  drawn  forth,  this  is  described  as  having 
been  the  state  of  his  beloved  people. — "  None  eye 
pitied  thee,  to  do  any  of  these  unto  thee,  to  have 
compassion  upon  thee  ;  but  thou  wast  cast  out  in 


THE  FRUITFUL  PROFESSOR.  201 

the  open  field  to  the  loathing  of  thy  person."  And 
this  is  no  small  fruit,  the  result  of  God's  covenant 
dealings  with  the  soul :  it  is  one  of  the  useless 
branches  which  he  prunes  away.  To  loathe  self 
on  account  of  its  sinfulness,  to  mortify  it  in  all  its 
forms,  and  to  bring  it  entirely  into  subjection  to  the 
Spirit  of  holiness,  are  indeed  no  small  triumph  of 
Divine  grace  in  the  soul,  and  no  mean  effect  of  the 
sanctified  use  of  the  Lord's  dispensations.  That 
must  ever  be  considered  a  costly  mean  that  accom- 
plishes this  blessed  end.  This  unmortified  self  in 
the  believer,  is  one  of  the  most  deadly  enemies  of  his 
soul ;  it  shows  itself  in  a  thousand  ways,  and  wear- 
ing a  thousand  disguises.  It  is  often  difficult  to 
detect  the  under-current  working  of  the  principle  ; 
for,  frequently,  where  suspicion  of  its  existence  is 
most  lulled  to  rest,  thei'e  is  it  most  rife  and  powerful- 
Self-confidence  as  in  Peter,  self-boasting  as  in  Heze- 
kiah,  self-righteousness  as  in  Job,  self-deception  as  in 
Balaam, — in  how  many  numberless  ways  may  this 
hateful,  ruinous  principle  discover  itself!  and  how 
much  •'  deceivableness  of  unrighteousness  "  is  in  it — 
is  only  fully  known  to  Him  who  solemnly  declares, 
"  I,  the  Lord,  search  the  heart."  Beloved  reader,  in 
thy  heart  and  in  mine,  the  principle  of  this  sin  exists, 
and  who  can  search  it  out,  and  root  it  out,  but  the 
Lord  the  Spirit?  "If  we  through  the  Spirit  mortify 
the  deeds  of  the  body,  we  shall  live."  Is  thy  cove- 
nant God  and  Father  dealing  with  thee  now  ?  Pray 
that  this  may  be  one  blessed  result,  tJie  ahasement 
of  self  wiUiin  thee,  the  discovering  of  it  to  thee  in  all 
its  modifications  and  deformity,  and  its  entire  sub- 


202  THE    FRUITLESS    AND 

jection  to  the  cross  of  Jesus.  Blessed  pruning,  if 
the  tendency  and  the  effect  are^  to  lay  thee  in  the 
dust  before  the  Lord,  to  cause  thee  to  loathe  thyself, 
and  to  go  softly  and  lowlily  all  thy  days  ! 

Another  holy  tendency  of  the  pruning  of  the  fruit- 
ful branch,  is,  to  endea?'  the  Lord  Jesus  in  his  j)er- 
son,  work,  and  offices.  Jesus,  the  '  Branch,'  the 
'Plant  of  Renown,'  grows  only  upon  the  living  and 
the  pruned  heart.  There  are  many  professors  in 
whose  hearts  there  is  not  room  for  Christ :  the  world, 
vmmortified  sin,  take  up  all  the  space,  occupy  all  the 
affections  ;  and  while  his  name  is  outwardly  pro- 
fessed, his  cross  is  inwardly  despised.  Oh,  what 
emptying,  what  humbling,  what  pruning,  are  neces- 
sary, in  order  to  make  room  for  the  lowly  Lamb  of 
God  in  the  heart  of  a  poor  believing  sinner  !  And 
for  years  after  the  first  reception  of  Jesus,  are  this 
emptying  and  pruning  needed.  If  it  were  not  so, 
would  our  dear  Lord  discipline  as  he  does  ?  Would 
he  sever  this  and  that  limb  ;  would  he  cut  off  this 
and  that  dependence ;  would  he  take  us  off  of 
creature  trust,  and  that  sometimes  in  the  most  pain- 
ful way  ?  Oh  no !  by  these  means  he  seeks  to 
establish  himself  in  our  affections, — he  would  have 
our  whole  hearts,  he  would  make  us  fruitful.  And 
when  thus  unhinged  from  earthly  trust,  when  emptied 
of  confidence  in  self,  when  pruned  of  earthly  com- 
forts,— oh  how  unutterably  precious  does  Jesus  be- 
come !  Then  do  we  see  him  to  be  just  the  Jesus 
that  we  want,  just  the  Saviour  that  we  need  :  we 
find  in  him  all  that  we  ever  found  in  the  creature, 
and  infinitely  more — wisdom,  strength,  tenderness. 


"V 


THE  FRUITFUL  PROFESSOR.  203 

and  sympathy,  surpassing  all  that  men  or  angels 
ever  felt,  or  could  possibly  feel,  for  us.  Then  it  is, 
his  blood  and  righteousness  are  endeared  ;  then  we 
fly  to  his  fuhiess  of  all  grace  ;  and  then  the  ten- 
der, bleeding  branch  takes  a  firmer  hold  on  its 
stem,  and,  henceforth,  looks  only  to  it  for  all  its 
vigor,  its  nouris:hment,  and  its  fruit.  "  As  the 
branch  cannot  bear  fruit  of  itself,  except  it  abide 
in  the  vine,  no  more  can  ye,  except  ye  abide  in  me.' 
Ah !  beloved  reader,  if  thou  art  his  child,  he  will 
cause  thee  to  know  it,  and  will  endear  himself  to 
thee  as  such.  And  this  is  seldom  done,  save  in  the 
way  of  severe  pruning.  Shrink  not  from  it,  then. 
All  the  good  that  the  Lord  ever  takes  from  thee,  he 
returns  ten  thousand-fold  more  in  giving  himself. 
If  thou  canst  say,  "  the  Lord  is  my  portion,"  then 
what  more  dost  thou,  canst  thou  want  ?  And  re- 
member, too,  the  Lord  will  prune  thee  of  nothing 
that  was  for  thy  real  good.  He  is  the  Judge  of  what 
is  best  for  thee,  not  thyself:  he  will  sever  the  useless 
tendrils  only,  the  small  branches  that  consume  the 
sap,  that  absorb  the  nourishment,  and  are  productive 
of  unfruitfulness.  We  are  but  imperfect  judges  of 
what  tends  best  to  our  spiritual  or  temporal  benefit. 
That  which  we  may  deem  absolutely  essential  to 
both,  the  Lord  in  his  wisdom  and  love  may  see 
proper  to  remove ;  and  as  frequently,  that,  the 
removal  of  which  we  had  often  besought  the  Lord, 
he  may  see  fit  to  retain.  Thrice  Paul  prayed  for 
the  removal  of  his  infirmity,  and  thrice  the  Lord 
denied  his  request :  but  the  denial  was  accompanied 
by  a  promise,  calculated  to  soothe  into  sweet  acqui- 


204  THE    FRUITLESS    AND 

escence  every  feeling  of  the  apostle — "  My  grace," 
said  the  Lord,  "  is  sufficient  for  thee."  Let  it  ever 
be  remembered  by  the  tried  believer,  that  support- 
ing grace,  in  the  season  of  trial,  is  a  greater  mercy 
than  the  removal  of  the  trial  itself  Tlie  Lord 
Jesus  did  seem  to  say  to  his  servant,  "  I  see  not  that 
it  would  be  for  thy  good  to  grant  thy  prayer,  but  I 
will  enable  thee  to  bear  the  infirmity  without  a  mur- 
mur :  I  will  so  support  thee,  so  manifest  my  strength 
in  thy  weakness,  my  all-sufficiency  in  thy  nothing- 
ness, that  thou  slialt  not  desire  its  removal."  "  Lord," 
he  might  have  replied,  "  this  is  all  that  I  desire.  If 
thou  in  thy  wisdom  and  love  dost  see  fit  still  to  prune 
me,  I  am  in  thy  hands  to  do  with  me  as  seemeth 
good  in  thy  sight.  The  continuance  of  the  trial 
will  but  prove  the  strength  of  thy  grace,  and  the 
tenderness  and  sympathy  of  thy  heart."  After  this, 
we  hear  no  more  of  Paul's  thorn  in  the  flesh  :  the 
grace  of  his  Lord  doubtless  proved  all-sufficient  for 
him. 

There  are  one  or  two  points  of  caution  and  en- 
couragement upon  which  we  would  touch  before 
closing  the  chapter. 

Let  the  believer  be  aware,  how  he  despises  what 
little  fruitfulness  the  Lord  the  Spirit  tnay  have 
given  hiia  :  there  is  danger  of  this.  Many  who 
read  this  chapter,  may  close  it  with  deep  mourning 
over  their  barrenness  ;  they  may  think  their  fruit 
nothing  but  leaves,  their  religion  nothing  but  pro- 
fession. But  stay,  dear  reader  :  it  is  a  mercy  for  thee 
to  know  that  the  Lord  does  not  regard  thy  estimate 
of  a   fruitful  state ;  else,  were  the  Lord   to  judge 


THE  FRUITFUL  PROFESSOR.  205 

and  condemn  us  as  we  do  ourselves,  were  he  to  des- 
pise his  own  work  as  we  too  fre(iuently  do,  it  would 
indeed  go  hard  with  us.  But  he  does  not :  that 
whicii  we  have  often  thought  unworthy  of  his  no- 
tice, he  has  looked  down  upon  with  the  fondest  com- 
placency and  delight.  And  when  at  the  close  of  a 
sermon,  or  the  reading  of  a  book,  or  on  retiring  from 
the  throne  of  grace,  we  have  hung  our  heads,  and 
bhished  to  hft  our  faces  towards  him,  exclaiming, — 
"Lord,  I  am  vile,  look  not  on  me,  for  I  am  black," 
he  has  beheld  the  fruit  of  his  own  Spirit,  costly, 
fragrant,  and  precious  in  his  sight.  See,  then,  that 
you  despise  not  what  the  Lord  has  wrought  for  you. 
Any  desire  of  the  heart  for  Christ,  any  secret  broken- 
ness,  any  godly  sorrow  over  indwelling  sin,  any  fee- 
ble going  out  of  self  and  leaning  on  Jesus,  is  the 
gracious  work  of  the  Holy  Ghost  in  the  soul,  and 
must  not  be  undervalued  or  unacknowledged.  A 
truly  humble  view  of  self,  is  one  of  the  most  precious 
fruits  of  the  Spirit ;  it  indicates  more  real  fruitful- 
ness,  perhaps,  than  any  other  state  of  mind.  That 
ear  of  corn  which  is  the  most  full  of  grain,  hangs  the 
lowest ;  that  bough  which  is  the  most  heavily  laden 
with  fruit,  bends  the  nearest  to  the  ground.  It  is  no 
unequivocal  mark  of  great  spiritual  fruitfulness  in  a 
believer,  when  tenderness  of  conscience,  contrition  of 
spirit,  low  thoughts  of  self,  and  high  thoughts  of 
Jesus,  mark  the  state  of  his  soul.  "  Who  hath  de- 
spised the  day  of  small  things?" — not  Jesus. 

But,  dear  reader,  rest  not  here ;  blessed  as  it  is  to 
know  thy  barrenness,  and  to  mourn  over  it,  it  is  still 
more  blessed  to  press  forward  towards  a  deeper  and 
18 


206  THE    FRUITLESS    AND 

more  spiritual  acquaintance  with  Christ,  the  source 
of  all  real  fruitfulness.  Too  many  rest  in  a  mere 
deploring  of  their  barrenness ;  they  will  ingen- 
uously acknowledge  their  state,  freely  confess  it  be- 
fore God,  and  yet  meet  them  when  you  will,  this  is 
always  their  posture,  and  this  then*  confession.  One 
seems  to  mark  in  them  no  advance,  no  striving  after 
higher  attainments,  the  crucifixion  of  known  infirm- 
ities, the  mortification  of  easy  besetting  sins,  the 
surrender  of  that  which  feedeth  as  a  worm  upon  the 
root  of  their  rehgion.  There  seems  just  life  and  con- 
sciousness enough  to  detect  the  secrt  declension  of 
the  soul,  but  not  enough  to  arrest  its  progress. 

But,  reader,  that  this  should  not  be  thy  case,  seek 
an  increasing  knowledge  of  Christ :  be  assured  of 
this, — here  lies  the  grand  secret  of  a  growing,  fruit- 
bearing  Christian.  "  As  the  branch  cannot  bear 
fruit  of  itself  except  it  abide  in  the  vine  ;  no  more 
can  ye,  except  ye  abide  in  me."  There  is  a  perpet- 
ual proneness  to  seek  our  fruitfulness  from  anything 
save  a  close,  spiritual,  and  constant  dealing  with  the 
cross  of  Jesus :  but  as  well  might  we  expect  the 
earth  to  clothe  itself  with  verdure,  or  the  tree  to  blos- 
som, and  the  blossom  ripen  into  fruit,  without  the 
sun's  genial  warmth,  as  to  look  for  fruitfulness  in  a 
regenerate  soul,  without  a  constant  dealing  with  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ ;  for,  just  what  the  sun  is  to  the 
kingdom  of  nature,  Jesus  the  Sun  of  righteousness  is 
to  the  kingdom  of  grace, — the  blessed  source  of  all 
its  verdure,  fragrance,  and  fruitfulness.  Then,  let 
all  your  expectations  be  centered  here.  No  real  good 
can  come  to  thee,  no  healing  to  thy  spirit,  no  fruitful- 


THE  FRUITFUL  PROFESSOR.  207 

ness  to  thy  soul,  from  a  perpetual  living  upon  con- 
victions of  sin,  legal  fears,  or  transient  joys :  the  Di- 
vine life  can  derive  no  aliment  from  these.  But  Uve 
upon  the  atoning  blood  of  Jesus. 

Here  is  the  fatness  of  thy  soul  found ;  this  it  is 
that  heals  the  wound,  wins  the  heart,  and  hushes  to 
repose  every  fear  of  condemnation  ;  this  it  is  that 
enables  a  poor  sinner  to  look  full  at  God,  feeling  that 
justice,  holiness,  truth,  and  every  Divine  perfection 
are  on  his  side.  It  is  the  blood  of  Jesus,  applied  by 
the  Spirit,  that  moistens  each  fibre  of  the  root  of 
holiness  in  the  soul,  and  is  productive  of  its  fruitful- 
ness  ;  this  it  is  that  sends  the  warm  current  of  life 
through  every  part  of  the  regenerate  man,  quicken- 
ing the  pulse  of  love,  and  imparting  a  healthy  and 
vigorous  power  to  every  act  of  obedience.  And 
when  the  spiritual  seasons  change, — for  it  is  not 
always  spring-time  Avith  the  soul  of  a  child  of  God, 
— when  the  summer's  sun  withers,  or  the  autumnal 
blast  scatters  the  leaves,  and  winter's  fiercer  storm 
beats  upon  the  smitten  bough,  the  blood  and  right- 
eousness of  Christ  lived  upon,  loved  and  cherished, 
will  yet  sustain  the  Divine  life  in  the  soul,  and  in 
.  due  season,  the  spring  blossom  and  the  summer  fruit 
shall  again  appear,  proving  that  the  Divine  fife  of  a 
believer  is  '  hid  with  Christ  in  God.'  Then  shall  it 
be  said  of  you,  as  was  said  of  the  chujch  by  her 
beloved  :  "  The  winter  is  past,  and  the  rain  is  over 
and  gone ;  the  flowers  appear  on  the  earth,  the 
time  of  the  singing  of  birds  is  come,  and  the  voice 
of  the  turtle  is  heard  in  our  land.  The  fig-tree 
putteth  forth  her  green  figs,  and  the  vines  with  the 


208  THE    FRUITLESS    AND 

tender  grape  give  a  good  smell.  Arise,  my  love, 
my  fair  one,  and  come  away."  Sol.  Song  ii.  11 — 13. 
Then  let  your  heart  respond,  "  Awake,  O  north  \vind, 
and  come,  thou  south,  blow  upon  my  garden,  that 
the  spices  thereof  may  flow  out."  Thus  shall  you 
be  "  filled  with  the  fruits  of  righteousness,  which  are 
hy  Jesus  Christ,  unto  the  glory  and  praise  of  God." 

Afflicted  behever,  forget  not  that  it  is  the  fruitful 
branch  only  that  the  Lord  pruneth  :  "  whom  the 
Lord  loveth,  he  chasteneth  :"  and  again,  he  declares, 
"  Whom  I  love,  I  rebuke  and  chasten."  Then, 
thank  him  for  pruning  ;  bless  him  for  the  sanctified 
trial  that  weans  thee  from  earthly  things,  that  dead- 
ens thy  heart  to  every  rival  of  Christ,  and  that  im- 
parts an  upward  spring  to  faith,  hope,  and  love. 
Not  one  unkind  thought  is  there  in  the  heart  of  the 
God  that  now  chastens  you.  True,  he  may  have 
severed  from  thee  branch  after  branch,  he  may  cut 
off  all  thy  earthly  springs,  he  may  lead  thee  down 
into  the  deep  valley  of  abasement ;  yet  still  is  he 
love,  and  nothing  but  love.  Could  you  look  into 
his  heart, — not  a  spring  w^ould  be  found  dwelling, 
nor  a  pulse  beating  there  that  would  not  speak  of 
love  to  thee  at  this  very  moment.  All  that  he  seeks 
with  regard  to  yourself,  is  your  increased  fruitful- 
ness  ;  and  to  promote  your  real  sanctijication,  is  to 
promote  your  real  happiness.  In  all  God's  dealings 
with  his  covenant  people,  he  seeks  their  greatest 
good,  their  highest  happiness,  and  in  nothing  more 
manifestly  than  in  this  does  he  show  the  intense  love 
which  dwells  in  his  heart  towards  them. 

Frequently  call  to  mind  our  Lord's  words  :  "  Herein 


THE  FRUITFUL  PROFESSOR.  209 

is  my  Father  glorified,  that  ye  bear  much  fruit,  so 
shall  ye  be  (manifestly)  my  disciples."     This  '  much 
fruit'  is  often  found  mostly  in  those  with  whom  the 
Lord  mostly  deals.     He  has  created  his  people  for 
his  own  glory,  and  this  he  will  secure  to  him?elf  in 
their  abundant  fruitfulness.     This  is  why  the  most 
illustrious  saints   have   ever  been  the  most  deeply 
tried,  severely  pruned  :   their  great  fruitfulness  sprang 
from  their  great  aillictions.     And  yet,  beloved,  the 
Lord  deals  with  his  saints  according   to  his   holy 
sovereignty ;  not  by  one  line,  or  in  one  path,  does  he 
always  conduct  them.     Is  God  smiling  upon  thee  ? 
does  the  summer  sun  shine  ?  is  thy  sea  smooth  and 
flowing  ?  does  the   '  south   wind'  blow  upon   thee  ? 
See,  then,  that  thou  walk  humbly  with  God  ;  "  Be 
not  high-minded,  but  fear."     If  God  in  his  provi- 
dence has  elevated  thee  a  little  in  the  world,  ye  have 
need  to  besiege  his  throne  for  great  grace  to  keep 
thy  spirit  low  in  the  dust  before  him.     Do  thy  fel- 
lows admire  thy  talents,  extol  thy  gifts,  applaud  thy 
works,  and  court  thy  society  ?     Oh  how  closely  and 
softly  and    humbly  ought  you   noio  to  walk  with 
God !     That  breaih  of  adulation  that  lighted  upon 
thee,  will  prove  a  blight  upon  thy  graces,  if  thou  go 
not  upon  thy  knees  before  God  ;  that  flattering  word 
which  fell  upon  thine  ear,  will  prove  as  the  fly  in 
the  apothecary's  ointment  to  thy  soul,  if  thou  get  not 
closer  down  at  the  foot  of  the  cross.     Let  every  cir- 
cumstance and  state  take  thee  there ;  Avhether  tlie 
north  wind  or  the  south  wind  blows,  whether  the 
dark  cloud  of  adversity  gathers  over  thee,  or  the  sun- 
shine of  prosperity  beams  upon  thee — still  let  thy 
18* 


210  THE    FRUITLESS    AND 

posture  ever  be  low  before  the  Saviour's  cross  :  noth- 
ing can  harm  thee  there.  See  that  the  season  of 
outward  prosperity  is  the  season  of  thy  soul's  fruit- 
fulness  ;  see  that  every  mercy  takes  thee  to  God  ; 
convert  every  new  blessing  into  a  fresh  motive  for 
living  not  unto  thyself,  but  unto  Him  from  whom 
the  blessing  came. 

And  if  you  are  constrained  to  take  your  worst 
frames  to  Christ,  your  sins  as  they  rise,  your  weak- 
ness as  you  are  conscious  of  it,  your  corruptions  as 
they  discover  themselves,  even  so  shalt  thou  be  a 
fruitful  branch  of  the  true  Vine.  In  the  very  act  of 
going,  just  as  he  is,  to  Christ,  the  believer  brings 
forth  fruit.  For  what  marks  the  frame  of  the  soul 
thus  travelling  up  to  the  cross,  but  self-distrust,  self- 
abasement,  deep  conceptions  of  its  own  nothingness, 
high  views  of  Christ's  sufficiency  ?  And  is  not  this 
precious  and  costly  fruit  ?     I  know  of  none  more  so. 

And  let  the  fruitful  believer  anticipate  the  ap- 
proaching period  of  his  translation  to  a  more  genial 
and  healthy  soil.  In  heaven,  the  home  of  the  saints, 
there  will  be  nothing  to  blight  the  flower  of  grace ; 
no  frosts  of  winter,  no  burning  heat  of  summer,  no 
crushing  storms,  no  sweeping  tempests ;  the  former 
things  will  all  have  passed  away,  and  a  new  heaven 
and  a  new  earth,  in  which  dwelleth  righteousness, 
shall  have  succeeded  them.  Happy  hour  of  this  re- 
lease !  Here  he  is  a  '  lily  among  thorns ;'  there  he 
will  be  a  tree  of  righteousness,  on  which  the  storm 
will  never  rise,  on  which  the  sun  will  never  set. 

"  Oh  what  a  garden  will  be  seen, 
When  all  the  flowers  of  grace 


THE    FRUITFUL    PROFESSOR.  211 

Appear  in  everlasting  green, 
Before  the  Planter's  face ! 

"  No  more  exposed  to  burning  skies, 
Or  winter's  piercing  cold  ; 
What  never-dying  sweet  will  rise 
From  every  op'ning  fold  ! 

"  No  want  of  sun  or  showers  above, 
To  make  the  flowers  decline  ; 
Fountains  of  life  and  beams  of  love, 
For  ever  spring  and  shine. 

"  No  more  they  need  the  quick'ning  air, 
Or  gently  rising  dew  !     . 
Unspeakable  their  beauties  are. 
And  yet  for  ever  new. 

"  Christ  is  their  shade,  and  Christ  their  sun; 
Among  them  walks  the  King; 
Whose  presence  is  eternal  noon, 
His  smile  eternal  spring." 


•.•Jte 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

THE  LORD,  THE  RESTORER  OF  HIS  PEOPLE. 

"  He  restoreth  my  soul." — Psalm  xxiii.  3. 

Throughout  the  discussion  of  our  subject,  we 
have  endeavored  to  keep  distinctly  and  prominently 
before  the  mind  of  the  reader,  the  indestructible  na- 
ture of  the  Divine  life  in  the  soul,  the  stability  of  the 
covenant  of  grace,  and  the  unchangeableness  of 
God's  love  towards  his  people.  The  proper  unfold- 
ing of  our  theme,  demanded  more  than  a  bare  recog- 
nition of  these  glorious  Gospel  truths :  apart  from 
them,  upon  what  an  uncertain  tenure  would  the  final 
salvation  of  the  believer  rest !  When  we  are  led  to 
consider  the  uncertainty  of  the  creature, — when  we 
take  the  history  of  a  child  of  God,  compressed  with- 
in the  short  period  of  a  single  day, — mark  what  flaws, 
what  imperfections,  what  fickleness,  what  startings 
aside,  what  dereliction  in  principle,  what  flaws* in 
practice,  what  errors  in  judgment,  and  what  wander- 
ings of  heart,  make  up  that  brief  history, — how  are 
we  led  to  thank  God  for  the  stability  of  the  covenant ! 
that  covenant  which  provides  for  the  full  redemption 
of  all  believers, — which  from  eternity  secures  the 
eflfectual  calling,  the  perfect  keeping,  and  the  certain 
salvation  of  every  chosen  vessel  of  mercy.  With 
what  distinctness  and  sweetness  is  this  truth  thus 


THE    LORD,    THE    RESTORER,    ETC.  213 

unfolded  by  God  himself:  "If  his  children  forsake 
my  law,  and  walk  not  in  my  judgments;  if  they 
break  my  statutes,  and  keep  not  my  commandments  ; 
then  will  I  visit  their  transgression  with  the  rod,  and 
their  iniquity  with  stripes.  Nevertheless,  my  loving- 
kindness  will  I  not  utterly  take  from  him,  nor  suffer 
my  faithfulness  to  fail :  my  covenant  will  I  not  break, 
nor  alter  the  thing  that  is  gone  out  of  my  lips."  Ps. 
Ixxxix.  30 — 34. 

It  will  be  seen,  that  two  most  solemn  and  affect- 
ing truths  are  recognised  in  this  passage, — the  back- 
slidings  of  a  child  of  the  covenant,  and  the  certainty 
of  his  restoration.  It  is  more  especially  with  the 
latter  truth  that  we  have  to  do  in  the  present  chapter. 

Of  the  necessity  that  exists  for  the  restorings  of 
the  Lord,  we  need  not  here  say  much,  the  preceding 
pages  having  gone  at  some  length  into  this  point ; 
and  yet  it  forms  the  basis  of  our  present  subject, 
and  is  too  important  to  be  dismissed  with  a  simple 
allusion.  That  there  exists  a  necessity  for  the  Di- 
vine restorings,  who  can  doubt,  that  remembers  that 
tJte  Divine  life  of  a  believer  has  its  residence  in  a 
heart  hut  jiartially  renewed  and  sanctified  1  In 
the  case  of  Adam  before  he  fell,  this  was  not  so ; 
there  was  nothing  in  his  heart  opposed  to  the  life  of 
God  within  him.  The  mind,  the  will,  the  affections, 
yea,  the  whole  soul,  were  one  glorious  oib  of  perfect 
light  and  holiness :  not  a  shadow  dimmed  its  lustre, 
not  a  speck  marred  its  beauty.  Every  faculty  of  the 
mind,  every  bias  of  the  will,  every  emotion  of  the 
heart,  every  breathing  of  desire,  were  in  agreement 
with  its  nature,  and  were  favorable  to  its  growth. 


214  THE  LORD,  THE  RESTORER 

But  not  SO  is  it  now.  Adam  fell,  and  in  his  fall 
transmitted  to  his  posterity  a  nature  totally  corrupt 
in  every  part ;  and  although  Divine  and  sovereign 
grace  has  undertaken  to  renew  that  nature,  and  does 
so  in  part,  yet  it  is  hut  in  part  renewed  and  restored 
to  its  original  glory.  The  Divine  life  has  its  dwell- 
ing-place in  a  fallen,  fleshly  nature.  One  sentence 
of  the  apostle's  explains  and  confirms  this  truth,^ — - 
"  The  life  which  I  now  live  in  the  flesh,"  Gal.  ii. 
20:  the  Divine  life  which  he  lived,  was  hi  the  flesh. 
It  was  encompassed  by  all  the  corruptions,  weak- 
nesses, infirmities,  and  assaults  of  the  flesh ;  there 
was  not  a  moment  that  it  was  not  exposed  to  as- 
saults from  within  ;  there  was  not  a  natural  faculty 
of  the  mind,  or  throb  of  the  heart,  that  was  favor- 
able to  its  prosperity,  but  all  were  contrary  to  its 
nature,  and  hostile  to  its  advance.  Let  every  be- 
liever remember,  that  the  Divine  life  which  he  lives, 
he  lives  in  the  flesh ;  and  that  there  exists  not  a 
day  that  he  stands  not  in  need  of  the  restorings  of 
the  Lord. 

Connect  with  this  the  many  external  influences 
which  are  hostile  to  the  Divine  life  in  the  soul.  As 
there  is  nothing  internal  that  is  favorable  to  a  state 
of  grace,  so  there  is  nothing  external  that  assists  it 
forward.  It  has  its  many  and  violent  enemies  :  Sa- 
tan is  ever  on  the  watch  to  assault  it, — the  world  is 
ever  presenting  itself  in  some  new  form  of  fascina- 
tion and  power  to  weaken  it, — a  thousand  tempta- 
tions are  perpetually  striving  to  ensnare  it ;  thus  its 
internal  and  external  enemies  are  leagued  against 
it.     Is  it,  then,  any  wonder,  that  faith  should  some- 


OF    HIS    PEOPLE.  215 

times  tremble,  that  grace  should  sometimes  decline, 
and  that  the  pulse  of  the  Divine  life  should  often 
beat  faintly  and  feebly  I 

The  saints  in  every  age,  have  felt  and  lamented 
this.  Hence  the  prayer  of  David,  which  is  the 
prayer  of  all  true  behevers :  "  Hold  thou  me  up,  and 
I  .shall  be  safe  ;"  implying  the  greatest  weakness  in 
himself,  and  his  perpetual  exposure  to  the  greatest 
falls;  "Hold  thou  me  up,  for  only  as  I  am  upheld 
by  thee,  am  I  safe."  Again  he  prays  :  "  Keep  back 
thy  servant  also  from  presumptuous  sins  ;  let  them 
not  have  dominion  over  me ;"  implying  that  a  be- 
liever left  to  the  tendencies  of  his  fallen  nature, 
might  become  a  prey  to  the  worst  sins  ;  "  Keep  back 
thy  servant  also  from  ])i-esui7ipiuo7is  sins."  In  ad- 
dressing himself  to  the  converted  Hebrews,  the 
apostle  seizes  the  occasion  thus  to  exhort  them : 
"Take  heed,  brethren,  lest  there  be  in  any  of  you 
an  evil  heart  of  unbelief,  in  departing  from  the  liv- 
ing God."  "In  departing-,'^ — implying  a  constant 
tendency  to  depart  from  God.  And  what  does  God 
himself  say  of  his  people  ?  "  My  people  are  bent  to 
backsliding  from  me."  And  again,  "  Why  is  this 
people  of  Jerusalem  slidden  back  by  a  jjerpetiial 
backsliding  ?"  Yes,  it  is  a  perpetual  proneness  to 
declension.  The  sun  rises  but  to  set,  the  clock  is 
wound  up  but  to  run  down  ;  and  not  more  natural 
is  it  for  them  thus  to  obey  the  laws  that  govern 
them,  than  for  the  heart  of  a  child  of  God  to  fol- 
low the  promptings  of  its  corrupt  and  wayward 
nature. 

This  leads  us  to  touch  upon  the  principle  of  all 


216  THE  LORD,  THE  RESTORER 

departure  from  God.  We  look  at  a  believer's  lax 
practice,  we  mourn  and  weep  over  it,  and  we  do 
well ;  we  trace  our  own,  and  still  deeper  shame  and 
confusion  of  face  cover  us:  but  we  forget  that  the 
cause  of  our  bitterest  sorrow  and  humiliation  should 
be,  the  concealed  principle  of  evil  from  w^hence 
springs  this  unholy  practice.  How  few  among  the 
called  of  God,  are  found  confessing  and  mourning 
over  the  sin  of  theii'  nature — the  impure  fountain 
from  whence  flows  the  stream,  the  unmortified  root 
from  whence  originates  the  branch,  and  from  which 
both  are  fed  and  nourished !  This  is  what  God 
looks  at, — the  sin  of  our  fallen,  unsanctified  nature, 
— and  this  is  what  we  should  look  at,  and  mourn 
over.  Indeed,  true  mortification  of  sin  consists  in  a 
knowledge  of  our  sinful  nature,  and  its  subjection  to 
the  power  of  Divine  grace.  The  reason  why  so  few 
believers  "  through  the  Spirit  mortify  the  deeds  of 
the  body,"  is.  a  forgetfulness  that  the  work  has  to  do 
first  and  mainly  with  the  root  of  sin  in  the  soul : 
"  Make  the  tree  good,  and  the  fruit  will  also  be 
good  ;"  purify  the  fountain,  and  the  streams  will  be 
pure.  Oh,  were  there  a  deeper  acquaintance  with 
the  hidden  iniquity  of  our  fallen  nature, — a  more 
thorough  learning  out  of  the  truth,  that  "  in  our 
flesh  there  dwelleth  no  good  thiug," — a  more  heart- 
felt humiliation  on  accoimt  of'  it,  and  more  frequent 
confession  of  it  before  God, — how  much  higher  than 
they  now  are  would  be  the  attainments  in  holiness 
of  many  believers ! 

There  is,  then,  in  every  child  of  God,  the  innate 
principle  of  departure.     Notwithstanding  the  won- 


OF    HIS    PKorLE.  217 

ders  of  grace  God  has  wrought  for  tlie  soul, — though 
he  has  elected,  called,  renewed,  waslicd,  and  clothed 
the  believer ;  yet  if  he  did  not  check  and  rein  him 
in,  he  would  depart,  and  that  for  ever ! — this  un- 
sanctified,  unniortified  principle  would  bear  him 
away.  Is  there  not  in  this  aspect  of  our  theme 
something  truly  heart-breaking? — the  subject  of  a 
kind  and  benevolent  government,  and  yet  to  be 
always  rebelling  against  the  Sovereign ;  dwelling 
under  a  kind  and  loving  Father's  roof,  and  yet  to 
be  perpetually  grieving  him,  and  departing  from 
him  ;  to  have  received  so  many  costly  proofs  of  his 
love,  and  yet  rendering  tlie  most  ungrateful  returns, 
— oh,  it  is  enough  to  sink  the  soul  in  the  deepest 
self-abasement  before  God !  Reader,  what  has  the 
Lord  been  to  tliec?  Come,  witness  for  him;  has 
he  ever  been  a  wilderness  to  thee,  a  dry  and  barren 
land  / — has  there  been  aught  in  his  dealings,  in  his 
conduct,  in  his  way  with  thee,  wherefore  thou 
shouldst  have  turned  thy  back  upon  him? — has 
there  been  any  harshness  in  his  rebukes,  any  un- 
kind severity  in  his  corrections,  anything  judicial 
and  vindictive  in  his  dealings?  Nay,  on  the  con- 
trary, has  he  not  been  a  fruitful  garden,  a  pleasant 
land,  a  fountain  of  living  waters  to  thee?  Has  he 
not  blended  kindness  with  all  his  rebukes,  tender- 
ness with  all  his  chastisements,  love  with  all  his 
dealings,  and  has  not  his  gentleness  made  thee 
great?  Then  why  hast  thou  departed  from  him? 
What  is  there  in  God  that  thou  shouldst  leave  him, 
what  in  Jesus  that  thou  shouldst  wound  him,  what 
in  the  blessed  Spirit  that  thou  shouldst  grieve  him? 
10 


218  THE  LORD,  THE  RESTORER 

Is  not  the  cause  of  all  thy  departure,  declension, 
unkinduess,  unfruitfulness,  in  thyself,  and  in  thyself 
alone  7  But  if  tliis  has  been  thy  conduct  towards 
God,  not  so  has  been  his  conduct  towards  thee. 
This  brings  us  to  the  consideration  of  his  restoring 
mercy. 

The  first  point  we  would  look  at  is,  the  love  of 
the  Lord  Jesus  in  restorinar  a  wanderinsr  believer. 
Nothing  but  the  most  infinite,  tender,  unchanging 
love,  could  prompt  him  to  such  an  act.  There  is  so 
much  of  black  ingratitude,  so  much  of  deep  turpi- 
tude in  the  sin  of  a  believer's  departure  from  the 
Lord,  that  but  for  the  nature  of  Christ's  love,  there 
could  be  no  possible  hope  of  his  return.  Now 
this  costly  love  of  Christ  is  principally  seen  in  his 
taking  the  first  step  in  the  restoring  of  the  soul : 
the  first  advance  is  on  the  part  of  the  Lord.  This 
is  too  important  a  truth  to  be  hghtly  touched  upon. 
There  is  no  more  self-recovery  after,  than  there  is 
before,  conversion ;  it  is  entirely  the  Lord's  work. 
The  same  state  of  mind,  tbe  same  principle  that  led 
to  the  first  step  in  declension  from  God,  leads  on  to 
each  successive  one :  until,  but  for  restraining  and 
restoring  grace,  the  soul  would  take  an  everlasting 
farewell  of  God.  But  mark  the  expression  of 
David, — "He  restoreth  my  soul."  Who?  He  of 
whom  he  speaks  in  the  first  verse  as  his  Shepherd, 
— "  The  Lord  is  my  Shepherd."  It  is  the  Shepherd 
that  takes  the  first  step  in  the  recovery  of  the 
wandering  sheep.  If  there  is  one  aspect  in  the 
view  of  this  subject  more  touching  than  another,  it 
is  this, — that  such  should  be  the  tender,  unchanging 


OF    HIS    PEOPLE.  219 

love  of  Jesus  towards  his  wandering  child,  he  should 
tak«  the  first  step  in  restoring  him.  Shall  an  of- 
fended, insulted  Sovereign  make  the  first  move 
towards  conciliating  a  rebellious  people  ?  —  that 
Sovereign  is  Jesus:  shall  an  outraged  Father  seek 
his  wandering  child,  and  restore  him  to  his  af- 
fections and  his  house?  —  that  father  is  God.  Oh 
Aviiat  love  is  that  which  leads  Jesus  in  search  of  his 
wandering  child:  love  that  will  not  let  him  quite 
depart ;  love  that  yearns  after  him,  and  seeks  after 
him,  and  follows  after  him  through  all  his  devious 
way,  his  intricate  wanderings,  and  far-off  depar- 
tures;  love  that  no  unkindness  has  been  able  to 
cool,  no  forgetfulness  has  been  able  to  weaken,  no 
distance  has  been  able  to  destroy  ! 

Not  less  conspicuous  is  the  power  of  Jesus  in  the 
restoring  of  the  soul :  "  He  restoreth  my  soul," — 
he,  the  Omnipotent  Shepherd.  We  want  Omnipo- 
tence to  bring  us  back  when  we  have  wandered  ; 
nothing  less  can  accomplish  it.  We  want  the  same 
power  that  converted,  to  re-convert ;  the  power  that 
created,  to  re-create  us :  this  power  Jesus  possesses. 
It  was  essential  to  the  full  salvation  of  his  church 
that  he  should  have  it ;  therefore,  when  praying  to 
his  Father,  he  says,  "As  thou  hast  given  him 
power  over  all  flesh,"— why  this  power  ? — "  that  he 
should  give  eternal  life  to  as  many  as  thou  hast 
given  him."  It  was  necessary  that  he  should  have 
power  over  all  flesh,  yea,  over  all  the  powers  leagued 
against  the  church,  that  lie  should  bring  to  glory  all 
that  were  given  to  him  in  the  covenant  of  grace. 
Now  this  power  is  gloriously  exerted  in  the  re- 


220  THE    LORD    THE    RESTORER 

Storing  of  the  soul.  Jesus  works  i7i  the  believer,  in 
order  to  his  recovery.  He  breaks  down  the  hard 
heart,  arrests  the  soul  in  its  onward  progress  of  de- 
parture, places  upon  it  some  powerful  check,  lays  it 
low,  humbles,  abases  it,  and  then  draws  from  it  the 
blessed  acknowledgment,  "  Behold,  I  am  vile ;  but. 
he  restoreth  my  soul." 

There  is  infinite  ivisdom^  too,  in  the  Lord's  re- 
storings.  This  perfection  of  Jesus  is  clearly  revealed 
here:  in  the  way  he  adopts  to  restore,  we  see  it. 
That  he  should  make,  as  he  frequently  does,  our 
very  afflictions  the  means  of  restoration  to  our  souls, 
unfolds  the  profound  depth  of  his  wisdom.  This 
was  David's  prayer, — ^"  Quicken  me  according  to  thy 
judgments :"  and  this  was  his  testimony, — "  Before 
I  was  afflicted  I  went  astray,  but  now  have  I  kept 
thy  word  ;"  "  Though  I  walk  in  the  midst  of  trouble, 
thou  wilt  revive  me."  The  season  of  trial  is  not 
unfrequently  the  sanctified  season  of  revival.  Who 
that  has  passed  through  the  furnace  has  not  found 
it  so?  Then  the  declension  of  the  soul  has  been 
discovered, — then  the  hidden  cause  of  that  declension 
has  been  brought  to  light, — then  the  spirit  has  bowed 
in  contrition  before  the  Lord, — then  grace  has  been 
stirred  up  in  the  heart,  and  a  new  sweetness  has 
been  given  to  prayer,  and  a  new  impulse  to  faith, 
and  a  new  radiance  to  hope,  and  from  the  flame  the 
gold  and  the  silver  have  emerged,  purified  of  their 
tin  and  dross.  But  for  the  production  of  effects  like 
these,  why  the  many  peculiar  and  heavy  afflictions 
that  we  sometimes  see  overtaking  the  child  of  God? 
Think  not  that  our  heavenly  Father  takes  pleasure 


OF    HIS    PROPLE.  221 

in  chastening  us  ;  think  not  that  it  dehghts  him  to 
behold  the  wiitliings  the  throes,  and  the  anguish  of 
a  wounded  spirit ;  think  not  that  he  loves  to  see  our 
tears,  and  liear  our  sighs  and  our  groans  under  the 
pressure  of  keen  and  crushing  trial.  No :  he  is  a 
tender,  loving  Father  ;  so  tender  and  so  loving,  that 
not  one  stroke,  nor  one  cross,  nor  one  trial  more  does 
he  lay  upon  u?^,  than  is  absolutely  needful  for  our 
good ; — not  a  single  ingredient  does  he  put  in  our 
bitter  cup  that  is  not  essential  to  the  perfection  of 
the  remedy.  It  is  for  our  profit  that  he  chastens,  not 
for  his  pleasure  ;  and  that  often  to  rouse  us  from  our 
spiritual  sleep,  to  recover  us  from  our  deep  declen- 
sion, and  to  impart  new  vigor,  healthiness,  and 
growth,  to  his  own  life  in  the  soul. 

Nor  must  we  overlook  the  gentleness  of  the  Lord's 
restoring.  We  have  a  beautiful  exhibition  of  this  in 
the  recovery  of  the  stray  sheep,  as  set  forth  by  Jesus 
himself :  "  What  man  of  you,  having  an  hundred 
sheep,  if  he  lose  one  of  them,  doth  not  leave  the 
ninety  and  nine  in  the  wilderness,  and  go  after  that 
which  is  lost,  until  he  find  it  }  And  when  he  hath 
found  it,  he  layeth  it  on  his  shoulders,  rejoicing." 
Luke  XV.  4,  5.  Here  is  the  gentleness  of  the  shep- 
herd,— "  he  layeth  it  on  his  shoulders."  Too  feeble 
itself  to  walk,  too  exhausted  in  its  wanderings  to  re- 
turn, the  gentle  shepherd  having  sought  and  found 
it,  "  lays  it  on  his  shoulders,  rejoicing."  Touching 
picture  of  the  Saviour's  gentleness  in  restoring  a 
backsliding  soul !  What  but  infinite  gentleness  is 
seen  in  the  restoring  of  Peter  ?  It  was  but  a  look  ; 
-not  a  word  fell  from  the  lips  of  the  Saviour — not 
19* 


222  THE  LORD,  THE  RESTORER 

an  unkind  rebuke,  not  a  harsh  upbraiding  word  did 
he  breathe  ;  yet  that  look — what  artist's  pencil  has 
ever  been  able  to  imitate  it  ? — that  look  so  full  of 
love,  so  full  of  gentleness,  so  full  of  forgiveness,  did 
seem  to  say,  "  I  am  going  to  die  for  thee,  Peter — all 
this  and  more  I  suffer  for  thee ;  wilt  thou,  canst  thou 
deny  me  ?" — that  look,  so  touching,  so  melting,  so 
eloquent,  and  so  forgiving,  reached  the  heart  of  the 
backsliding  apostle,  melted  it,  broke  it,  and  sent  him 
from  the  judgment-hall  weeping  bitterly.  There 
was  no  expression  in  the  look  which  Jesus  bent  upon 
Peter,  but  love.  Let  this  truth  be  fixed  in  the  heart 
of  every  backsliding  believer.  The  Lord  restores 
the  soul  gently.  The  moment  he  discovers  to  it  its 
sin,  he  conveys  some  token  of  his  pardoning  mercy : 
the  balm  is  applied  the  moment  the  wound  is  given, 
the  remedy  is  at  hand  the  moment  the  distemper  is 
discovered.  There  is  a  tenderness,  an  unutterable 
tenderness,  in  the  heart  and  hand,  in  the  mercy  and 
the  method  of  the  Lord's  recovery  of  his  child,  which 
only  he  can  feel.  See  it  in  the  case  of  David.  How 
did  God  bring  his  sin  to  remembrance?  By  the 
chastening  rod?  by  heavy  judgment?  by  severe 
expressions  of  displeasure  ?  Nay  ;  none  of  these 
were  his  messengers  :  but  he  sent  a  kind,  tender, 
faithful  prophet,  to  discover  to  him  his  awful  back- 
sliding ;  and  the  astounding  words,  "  Thou  art  the 
man,"  had  scarcely  died  away  upon  his  ear,  ere 
he  pours  in  this  healing  balm,  "  The  Lord  also  hath 
put  away  thy  sin  ;  thou  shalt  not  die."  Oh,  what 
gentleness,  what  tenderness,  are  thus  shown  in  the 
Lord's  restorings  of  his  wandering    child  !     From 


OF    HIS    PEOPLE.  223 

whom  could  this  have  been  expected  but  from  him 
whose  nature  and  wfiose  name  is  love^ — from  whom, 
but  him  who  could  thus  speak  to  his  backsliding 
Ephraim  :  "  Is  Ephraim  my  dear  son  ?  is  he  a  pleas- 
ant chikl  ?  for  since  I  spake  against  him,  1  do  ear- 
nestly remember  him  still ;  therefore  my  bowels  are 
troubled  for  him  :  I  will  surely  have  mercy  upon  him, 
saith  the  Lord."  This  is  an  outgushing  of  tender- 
ness towards  a  poor,  returning,  backsliding  soul, 
which  could  only  have  had  its  dwelling-place  in  the 
heart  of  Jehovah. 

But  we  have  yet  to  speak  of  the  way  of  a  poor 
backslider's  return  to  the  Lord.  May  the  Spirit  im- 
part wisdom  and  unction  in  unfolding  this  most 
important  point !  First,  as  touching  the  spirit  with 
which  he  should  return. 

Looking  at  the  case  of  the  backsliding  church  of 
Ephesus,  we  find  the  nature  of  her  sin,  and  the 
mode  of  her  recovery,  thus  set  forth  :  "  I  have  some- 
what against  thee,  because  thou  hast  left  thy  first 
love.  Remember,  therefore,  from  whence  thou  art 
fallen,  and  repent  and  do  the  first  works."  The  first 
exhortation  addressed  to  her  was,  '•  Remember,  there- 
fore, from  whence  thou  art  fallen."  She  was  first 
called  to  solemn  reflection  upon  her  former  state  of 
prosperity. 

Let  the  backsliding  believer  be  brought  to  this  first 
step.  "  Remember  from  whence  thou  art  fallen  ;" — 
revert  to  thy  past  history,  thy  former  spiritual  state ; — 
remember  thy  first  sorrow  for  sin,  the  first  joy  of  its 
pardon  ; — remeniber  the  spring-tide  of  thy  first  love — 
how  precious  Jesus  was,  how  glorious  was  his  per- 


224  THE  LORD,  THE  RESTORER 

son,  how  sweet  was  his  cross,  how  fragrant  was  his 
name,  how  rich  was  his  grace ; — remember  how 
dear  to  you  was  the  throne  of  grace,  how  frequently 
you  resorted  to  it,  regarding  it  of  all  spots  on  earth 
the  most  blessed  ;  remember  how,  under  the  anoint- 
ings of  adopting  love,  you  walked  with  God  as  with  a 
Father — how  filial,  how  close,  how  holy  was  your 
communion  with  him  ; — remember  the  seasons  of 
refreshing  in  the  sanctuary,  in  the  social  meeting,  in 
the  closet,  how  j^our  soul  did  seem  to  dwell  on  the 
sunny  sides  of  glory,  and  you  longed  for  the  wings 
of  a  dove  that  you  might  fly  to  your  Lord  ; — remem- 
ber how,  publicly  and  before  many  witnesses,  you 
put  off  sin  and  put  on  Christ,  and  turning  your  back 
upon  the  world,  took  your  place  among  the  follow- 
ers of  the  Lamb  ; — remember  how  holy,  and  circum- 
spect, and  spotless  was  your  walk,  how  tender  was 
your  conscience,  how  guileless  was  your  spirit,  how 
humble  and  lowly  your  whole  deportment.  But 
what  and  where  are  you  now?  O  remember /rom 
whence  you  are  fallen  !  Think  from  what  a  high 
profession,  from  what  an  elevated  walk,  from  what 
holy  employments,  from  what  hallowed  joys,  from 
what  sweet  delights,  and  from  what  pleasant  ways 
have  you  declined  !  May  you  not  truly  inquire  with 
the  sweet  poet  of  Olney, — 

"  Where  is  the  blessedness  I  knew 
When  first  I  saw  the  Lord  % 
Where  is  the  soul  refreshing  view 
•  Of  Jesus  and  his  word  % 

"  What  peaceful  hours  I  once  enjoyed! 
How  sweet  their  niem'ry  still ! 


OF    HIS    PEOPLE.  225 

But  they  have  left  an  aching  void, 
The  world  can  never  (ill. 

"  Return,  O  holy  Dove,  return, 
Sweet  messenger  of  rest ; 
I  hate  the  sins  that  made  thee  mourn, 
And  drove  thee  from  my  breast." 

In  the  exhortation  given  to  the  backshtling  church 
at  Ephesus,  there  is  yet  another  instruction  equally 
applicable  to  the  case  of  all  wanderers  from  the  Lord  : 
"  Repent  and  do  the  first  works."  How  can  a  de- 
parting soul  return  without  repentance  7  by  what 
other  avenue  can  the  prodigal  reach  his  Father's 
heart?  Repentance  imphes  the  existence  and  con- 
viction of  sin.  Ah  !  is  it  no  sin^  beloved  reader,  to 
have  turned  thy  back  upon  God?  is  it  no  sin  to 
have  lost  thy  first  love,  to  have  backslidden  from 
Jesus,  to  have  transferred  thy  afiections  from  him  to 
the  world,  or  to  the  creature,  or  to  thyself?  is  it  no 
sin  to  go  no  more  with  the  Shepherd,  and  to  follow 
no  more  the  footsteps  of  the  flock,  and  to  feed  no 
more  in  the  green  pastures,  or  repose  by  the  side  of 
the  still  waters  ?  O  yes !  it  is  a  sin  of  peculiar 
magnitude  ;  it  is  a  sin  against  God  in  the  character 
of  a  lovmg  Father,  against  Jesus  in  the  character  of 
a  tender  Redeemer,  against  the  Holy  Spirit  in  the 
character  of  a  fiiitbfid  Indweller  and  a  Sanctificr;  it 
is  a  sin  against  the  most  precious  experience  of  his 
grace,  against  the  most  melting  exhibitions  of  his 
love,  and  against  the  most  tender  proofs  of  his  cove- 
nant faithfulness. 

liepent,  then,  of  this  thy  sin.  Think  how  thou 
hast  wounded  Jesus  afresh,  and  repent ;  think  how 


226  THE  LORD,  THE  RESTORER 

thou  hast  requited  thy  Father's  love,  and  repent ; 
think  how  thou  hast  grieved  the  Spirit,  and  repent. 
Humble  thyself  in  dust  and  ashes  before  the  cross, 
and  through  that  cross,  look  up  again  to  thy  for- 
giving Ood  and  Father.  The  sweet  promise  is, 
"  They  shall  look  upon  him  whom  they  have 
pierced,  and  shall  mourn  for  him  as  one  mourneth 
for  his  only  son."  This  leads  us  to  touch  upon  one 
more  point  of  vast  moment  in  the  way  of  a  soul's 
return  to  God.     It  is  this  : 

All  real  return  of  a  hacksliding  soul  is  through 
Jesus.  Jesus  is  God's  great  Door  of  approach  to  his 
throne.  No  other  entrance  will  conduct  us  to  the 
golden  sceptre ;  no  other  will  bring  us  into  the  holy 
of  holies.  Thus  has  the  Holy  Ghost  unfolded  this 
truth :  "  Having,  therefore,  brethren,  boldness  to 
enter  into  the  holiest  by  the  blood  of  Jesus,  by  a 
new  and  living  way,  which  he  hath  consecrated  for 
us  through  tbe  veil,  that  is  to  say,  his  flesh  ;  and 
having  an  High  Priest  over  the  house  of  God ;  let 
us  draw  near."  O  blessed  Door  of  return  for  a  poor, 
backsliding,  heart-broken  believer  ! — a  crucified  Sa- 
viour, in  whom  God  is  well  pleased,  and  for  whose 
sake  he  can  receive  the  smner,  and  put  away  his 
sin,  can  welcome  the  backslider,  and  heal  his  back- 
sliding. 

Nor  must  we  overlook  the  gracious  work  of  the 
Spirit  in  the  restoring  of  a  backsliding  soul ;  but 
for  him,  not  a  step  in  the  way  of  return  would  be 
taken  on  the  part  of  the  believer.  The  first  solemn 
reflection,  the  first  wistful  glance  of  the  eye  towards 
the  Father's  home,  the  first  sigh   that  heaves  the 


OF    HIS    PEOPLE.  227 

heart,  the  first  tear  that  starts  from  the  fountain  of 
grief,  the  first  step  bent  towards  a  forsaken  God,  is 
the  efi'ect  of  his  blessed  operation,  of  his  unchange- 
able love,  and  covenant  faithfulness.  What  debtors 
are  we  to  the  blessed  and  Eternal  Spirit !  What 
reverential  views  should  we  entertain  of  his  person, 
and  what  tender  thoughts  should  we  cherish  of  his 
work  ! 

The  encouragements  to  return  to  the  Lord  are 
many  and  great :  in  the  first  place,  we  have  the  gra- 
cious invitations  of  God  himself.  How  numerous 
and  touching  are  these  !  Where  is  the  heart,  deeply 
conscious  of  its  backsliding,  that  can  resist  the  pow- 
er of  language  like  this :  "  Go,  and  proclaim  these 
words  towards  the  north,  and  say,  Return,  thou 
backsliding  Israel,  saith  the  Lord ;  and  I  will  not 
cause  mine  anger  to  fall  upon  you  :  for  I  am  merci- 
ful, saith  the  Lord,  and  will  not  keep  anger  for 
ever."  Jer.  iii.  12.  Here  is  the  warrant  for  your 
return — God's  own  free  invitation  !  You  want  no 
more.  What  if  Satan  discourages,  what  if  your  sins 
plead  against  you,  what  if  guilt  and  unbelief  and 
shame  combine  to  impede  your  way,  if  God  says, 
"  Return  !" — that  is  sufficient  for  thee.  Thou  dost 
want  no  more  ;  if  he  is  willing  to  receive  you  back, 
to  pardon  your  sins,  to  forget  your  base  ingratitude, 
to  heal  your  backslidings,  and  restore  your  soul,  you 
have  the  broad  warrant  to  return,  in  the  face  of  all 
opposition  and  discouragement.  Yet  again  the 
cheering  invitation  runs, — "  Only  acknowledge  thine 
inicjuity  that  thou  hast  transgressed  against  the 
Lord   thy  God."     "  Turn,   O  backsliding  children, 


228  THE  LORD,  THE  RESTORER 

saith  the  Lord,  for  I  am  married  unto  you."  "  Re- 
turn, ye  backsliding  children,  and  1  will  heal  your 
backshdings."  "  I  will  heal  their  backsliding,  I  will 
love  them  freely :  for  mine  anger  is  turned  away 
from  him."  Jer.  iii.  ;  Hosea  xiv. 

The  character  of  God  is  such  as  encourages  the 
return  of  a  backsliding  soul.  In  the  invitations  he 
has  given,  he  urges  them  upon  the  ground  of  what 
he  is :  "  Return,  thou  backsliding  Israel,  saith  the 
Lord  ;  and  I  will  not  cause  mine  anger  to  fall  upon 
you  :  for  I  am  vnerciful^  saith  the  Lord."  O  touch- 
ing, soul-subduing,  heart-melting  argument, — 'Re- 
turn unto  me, /or  I  am  merciful  P  Merciful  to  re- 
ceive you,  merciful  to  pardon  you.  merciful  to  heal 
you.  O  the  boundless  mercy  of  God  in  Christ 
towards  a  soul  returning  from  its  wanderings  !  Will 
not  this  draw  you?  Again  ;  "  I  have  blotted  out  as 
a  thick  cloud  thy  transgressions,  and  as  a  cloud  thy 
sins ;  return  unto  me,  for  I  have  redeemed  thee?'' 
" Return,  for  I /iave  blotted  out  thy  transgressions: 
return,  for  I  have  put  away  thy  sins :  return,  for  I 
have  redeemed  thee.  The  work  is  already  done,— 
the  pardon  has  already  gone  forth, — the  backsliding 
has  already  been  forgiven  ;  then  linger  not,  but  re- 
turn, for  I  have  redeemed  thee."  Here,  on  the  broad 
basis  of  the  Lord's  free  and  full  pardon,  the  wander- 
ing soul  is  urged  to  return.  Truly  may  the  apostle 
say,  "  If  we  confess  our  sins,  he  is  faithful  and  just 
to  forgive  us  our  sins,  and  to  cleanse  us  from  all  un- 
righteousness." 

Thus  is  the  character  of  God,  as  a  merciful,  sin- 
pardoning  God,  held  out  in  the  word    as   a  motive 


OF    HIS    PEOPLE.  229 

and  an  encouragement  to  return.  This  is  just  the 
view  of  God,  which,  as  a  backshding  soul,  you 
want.  In  yourself  you  see  everything  to  discourage, 
everything  to  forbid  your  return  ;  and  even  on  awak- 
ening to  a  sense  of  your  departure,  your  first  thoughts 
of  God  are  such  as  to  repel  you  from  his  presence  ; 
you  are  ready  to  say,  "  I  have  wilfully  departed  from 
the  Lord  ;  I  have  gone  after  other  lovers ;  I  have 
hewn  out  other  cisterns  :  now  the  Lord  has  given 
me  up  in  his  displeasure,  and  has  forsaken  me  for 
ever  in  his  wrath."  But  God  comes  forth,  and  vin- 
dicates his  own  gracious  character,  unfolds  his  own 
love,  and  in  accents  most  encouraging  and  persuasive, 
addresses  himself  to  his  wandering  child,  and  says, 
"  Keturn,  thou  backshding  Israel,  for  lammerclfulP 
In  the  parable  of  the  prodigal  son,  we  have  the 
character  of  God  towards  a  returning  soul  truly  and 
beautifully  drawn.  The  single  point  we  would  now 
advert  to  is,  the  posture  of  the  father  on  the  approach 
of  his  child.  What  was  that  posture  ?— the  most 
expressive  of  undiminished  love,  of  yearning  tender- 
ness, of  eagerness  to  welcome  his  return.  Thus  is 
it  described  :  "  And  when  he  was  a  great  way  off, 
his  father  saw  him,  and  had  compassion,  and  ran, 
and  fell  on  his  neck,  and  kissed  him."  All  this  is 
God  to  thee,  dear  returning  soul !  He  is  on  the 
eager  watch  for  thy  first  movement  towards  him  ; 
he  is  looking  as  with  outstretched  neck  for  the  first 
sign  of  thy  soul's  return,  for  the  first  sound  of  thy 
footsteps,  for  the  first  relentings  of  thy  heart :  yea, 
even  more  than  this,  or  this  were  nothing,  he  sends 
his  own  Spirit  to  work  that  return  in  thy  soul,  to 
20 


230  THE  LORD,  THE  RESTORER 

break  thy  heart,  to  rouse  thy  slumbering  spirit,  to 
draw  thee,  win  thee  to  his  arms.  This  is  thy  God; 
— the  God  whom  thou  hast  forsaken,  from  whose 
ways  thou  hast  dedined,  but  who,  in  the  very  depth 
of  thy  declension  and  in  the  very  extremity  of  thy 
departure,  has  never  withdrawn  his  eye  of  love  one 
moment  from  thee. 

Nor  must  we  overlook  the  grand  source  of  en- 
couragement to  a  returning  soul, — that  lohich  spr'ings 
from  the  cross  of  Christ.  But  for  a  crucified 
Saviour,  there  could  be  no  possible  return  to  God  ; 
in  no  other  way  could  he,  consistently  with  the  holi- 
ness and  rectitude  of  the  Divine  government,  with 
what  he  owes  to  himself  as  a  just,  and  holy  God,  re- 
ceive a  poor,  wandering,  returning  sinner.  Mere 
repentance  and  humiliation  for,  and  confession  of 
sin,  could  entitle  the  soul  to  no  act  of  pardon.  The 
obedience  and  death  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  laid  the  foun- 
dation, and  opened  the  way  for  the  exercise  of  this 
great  and  sovereign  act  of  grace.  The  cross  of 
Jesus  displays  the  most  awful  exhibition  of  God's 
hatred  of  sin,  and  at  the  same  time  the  most  august 
manifestation  of  his  readiness  to  pardon  it.  Pardon, 
full  and  free,  is  written  out  in  every  drop  of  blood 
that  is  seen,  is  proclaimed  in  every  groan  that  is 
heard,  and  shines  in  the  very  prodigy  of  mercy  that 
closes  the  solemn  scene  upon  the  cross.  O  blessed 
door  of  return,  open  and  never  shut,  to  the  wanderer 
from  God  !  how  glorious,  how  free,  how  accessible  ! 
Hither  the  sinful,  the  vile,  the  guilty,  the  unworthy, 
the  poor,  the  penniless,  may  come.  Here,  too,  the 
weary  spirit  may  bring  its  burthen,  the  broken  spirit 


OF    HIS    PEOPLE.  231 

its  sorrow,  the  ^ilty  spirit  its  sin,  the  backsliding 
spirit  its  wandering.  All  are  welcome  here.  The 
death  of  Jesus  was  the  opening  and  the  emptying  of 
the  full  heart  of  God ;  it  was  the  outgushing  of  that 
ocean  of  infinite  mercy,  that  heaved  and  panted  and 
longed  for  an  outlet ;  it  was  God  showing  how  he 
could  love  a  poor,  guilty  sinner.  What  more  could 
he  have  done  than  this  ?  w^iat  stronger  proof,  what 
richer  gift,  what  costlier  boon,  could  he  have  given 
in  attestation  of  that  love  ?  Now  it  is  the  simple 
belief  oi  this,  that  brings  the  tide  of  joy  down  into 
the  soul.  It  is  faith's  view  of  this  that  dissolves  the 
adamant,  rends  asunder  the  flinty  rock,  smites  down 
the  pyramid  of  self-righteousness,  lays  the  rebellious 
will  in  the  dust,  and  enfolds  the  repenting,  believing 
soul  in  the  very  arms  of  free,  rich,  and  sovereign 
love.  Here,  too,  the  believer  is  led  to  trace  the  sin 
of  his  backsliding  in  its  darkest  lines,  and  to  mourn 
over  it  with  his  bitterest  tears, — 

"  Then  beneath  the  cross  adoring, 
Sin  doth  like  itself  appear; 
When  the  wounds  of  Christ  exploring, 
I  can  read  my  pardon  there." 

If  the  Lord  has  restored  thy  soul,  dear  reader,  re- 
member why  he  has  done  it, — to  make  thee  hate  thy 
sins.  He  hates  them,  and  he  will  make  thee  to 
hate  them  too  :  and  this  he  does  by  pardoning  them, 
by  sprinkling  the  atoning  blood  upon  the  conscience, 
and  by  restoring  unto  you  the  joys  of  his  salvation. 
And  never  is  sin  sosincerely  hated,  never  is  it  &o  deeply 
deplored,  so  bitterly  mourned  over,  and  so  utterly  for- 


232  THE  LORD,  THE  RESTORER 

saken,  as  when  he  speaks  to  the  heart,  and  says, 
"  Thy  sins  are  forgiven  thee,  go  in  peace."  As 
though  he  did  say,  "  I  have  blotted  out  thy  transgress- 
ions, I  have  healed  thy  backslidings,  1  have  restored 
thy  soul ;  '  that  thou  mayest  remember  and  be  con- 
founded, and  never  open  thy  mouth  any  more  because 
of  thy  shame,  when  I  am  pacified  toward  thee  for  all 
that  thou  hast  done,  saith  the  Lord  God.' "  Ezek. 
xvi.  63. 

Rememlier  that,  just  lohere  the  departure  com- 
menced, there  should  commence  the  return.  Did 
it  begin  at  the  closet  ? — then  at  the  closet  let  thy 
restoration  commence.  Return  to  the  secret,  closet 
prayer;  build  up  the  rained  altar, — rekindle  the 
expiring  flame ;  let  that  holy  sanctuary  once  more 
witness  to  your  confessions,  your  humiliations,  your 
strong  crying  and  tears,  and  your  close,  filial,  and 
hallowed  communion  with  God.  O  blessed  moment 
that  sees  you  there  again,  even  though  it  be  to  smite 
in  anguish  on  your  breast,  and  to  cover  yourself  with 
sackcloth  and  ashes  before  the  Lord  ! 

And  do  not  overlook  in  this  great  business  of 
restoration,  the  hitercession  of  Jesus,  the  High 
Priest,  at  the  right  hand  of  God.  If  thy  heavenly 
Father  has  restored  thy  soul,  not  only  has  he  done 
it  from  the  spring  of  his  own  unchangeable  love, 
but  that  which  has  prevailed  with  him,  was  the 
power  of  the  sweet  incense  of  the  Redeemer's  blood 
before  the  mercy-seat.  Moment  by  moment  does 
this  fragrant  cloud  go  up,  bearing  as  it  ascends  all 
the  circumstances  of  all  the  Israel  of  God.  There 
is   not   only    the   blood    already   sprinkled    on    the 


OF    HIS    PEOPLE.  233 

mercy-seat,  which  has  satisfied  Divine  justice,  but 
there  is  the  constant  pleading  of  the  blood  by  Jesus, 
the  Priest,  before  the  throne.     O  precious  thought, 

0  comforting,  encouraging  truth,  for  a  soul  re- 
treading its  steps  back  to  God  !  Of  its  own  it  hath 
nothing  to  plead  but  its  folly,  its  ingratitude,  its 
wretchedness,  and  its  sin ;  but  faith  can  lay  its 
trembling  hand  upon  this  blessed  truth, — faith  can 
descry  Jesus  clothed  in  his  priestly  garments  stand- 
ing between  the  soul  and  God,  spreading  forth  his 
hands,  and  pleading  on  behalf  of  the  returning 
believer  the  merits  of  his  own  precious  obedience 
and  death.  And  thus  encouraged,  he  may  draw 
nigh  and  touch  the  sceptre :  "  If  any  man  sin,  we 
have  an  Advocate  with  the  Father,  Jesus  Christ 
the  righteous."  "  Christ  is  not  entered  into  the 
holy  places  made  with  hands,  which  are  the  figures 
of  the  true ;  but  into  heaven  itself,  noiu  to  appear 
in  the  presence  of  God  for  us."    Heb.  ix.  24. 

In  view  of  all  these  precious  encouragements, 
persuasive  motives,  and  earnest  expostulations,  will 
you,  dear  backshding   soul,   still  refuse  to  return? 

1  entreat  you,  I  implore  you,  I  beseech  you,  to  arise 
and  go  to  your  Father,  and  say  unto  him,  "  Father, 
I  have  sinned  against  heaven  and  in  thy  sight." 
By  all  that  is  tender  and  forgiving  in  that  Father's 
heart, — by  all  that  is  melting,  persuasive,  and  pre- 
cious in  the  work  of  Jesus,— by  his  agony  and 
bloody  sweat,  by  his  cross  and  passion,  by  his  death, 
burial,  and  resurrection,  I  beseech  you  to  return  ! 
By  the  honor  of  that  holy  religion  you  have 
wounded,  by  all  the  hopes  of  glory  you  have  in- 

20* 


234       THE  LORD,  THE  RESTORER,  ETC. 

dulged  in,  by  all  that  is  sacred  and  precious  in  the 
memory  of  the  past,  and  by  all  that  is  solemn  and 
real  in  the  prospect  of  the  future,  I  implore  you  to 
return  !  By  the  faithful  promises  of  God,  by  the 
tender  yearnings  of  Jesus,  by  the  gentle  drawings  of 
the  Spirit,  by  all  that  you  will  experience  in  the  joy 
and  peace  and  assurance  of  a  restored  soul,  by  the 
glory  of  God,  by  the  honor  of  Christ,  by  the  near- 
ness of  death  and  the  solemnity  of  the  judgment,  I 
entreat,  I  implore,  I  beseech  you,  wanderer,  prodigal, 
to  return ! 

"  Return,  O  wanderer,  return ! 
And  seek  an  injured  Father's  face; 
Those  warm  desires  that  in  thee  burn, 
Were  kindled  by  reclaiming  grace. 

"  Return,  O  wanderer,  return  ! 
Thy  Saviour  bids  thy  spirit  live ; 
Go  to  his  bleeding  side,  and  learn 
How  freely  Jesus  can  forgive. 

"Return,  O  wanderer,  return! 
Regain  thy  lost  lamented  rest; 
Jehovah's  melting  bowels  yearn 
To  clasp  his  Ephraim  to  his  breast." 


CHAPTER  IX. 

THE  LORD,  THE  KEEPER  OF  HIS  PEOPLE. 

"  The  Lord  is  thy  keeper." — Psalm  cxxi.  5. 

How  frequently,  clearly,  and  solemnly  does  the 
Holy  Ghost  unfold  this  great  truth  in  his  word,  that 
salvation  is  entirely  in  and  of  God,  irrespective  of  all 
worth,  worthiness,  or  power  of  the  creature  ;  and 
that  as  the  salvation  of  his  covenant  people  is  su- 
premely and  solely  his  own  work,  so  in  every  respect 
it  is  infinitely  worthy  of  himself  God  can  do 
nothing  but  what  harmonises  with  his  own  illimita- 
ble greatness :  he  can  never  act  below  himself.  All 
the  productions  of  his  creative  power  in  nature,  all 
the  events  of  his  directive  wisdom  in  providence, 
bear  the  impress,  from  the  smallest  to  the  greatest, 
of  his  "  eternal  power  and  Godhead."  But  in  salva- 
tion, it  is  supremely  and  pre-eminently  so.  Here, 
the  whole  Deity  shines  ;  here,  the  entire  Godhead  is 
seen ;  here,  Jehovah  emerges  from  the  veiled  pavil- 
ion of  his  greatness  and  glory,  and  by  one  stupen- 
dous exercise  of  power,  and  by  one  august  act  of 
grace,  and  by  one  ineffable  display  of  love — before 
which  all  other  revelations  of  his  glory  seem  to  fade 
away  and  well-nigh  disappear — walks  abroad  among 
men  in  his  full-orbed  majesty  :  "  And  I  heard  a  great 
voice  out  of  heaven,  saying.  Behold,  the  tabernacle 


236 


THE    LORD,    THE    KEEPER 


of  God  is  with  men,  and  he  will  dwell  with  them, 
and  they  shall  be  his  people,  and  God  himself  shall 
be  with  them  and  be  their  God."  This  glorious 
"tabernacle"  that  is  "  with  men,"  what  less  is  it  than 
the  manifestation  of  Jesus  in  our  own  nature — God 
manifest  in  the  flesh?  Truly  may  we  say,  "His 
glory  is  great  in  our  salvation."  Is  he  the  only-wise 
God? — his  salvation  must  needs  be  the  most  pro- 
found result  of  that  wisdom.  Is  he  most  holy  ? — his 
salvation  must  be  holy.  Is  he  just?  his  salvation 
must  be  just.  Is  he  gracious? — so  must  be  his  sal- 
vation. It  bears  the  imprint  of  every  attribute ;  it 
embodies  in  its  nature  the  manifestation  of  every 
perfection.  No  other  conception  of  his  wisdom,  no 
other  product  of  his  power,  no  other  revelation  of  his 
greatness,  gives  any  adequate  conception  of  God,  but 
the  cross  of  his  beloved  Son.  ■  "  It  is  here  that  he  ap- 
pears under  the  new  and  unequalled  aspect  of  the 
God  of  our  salvation  ;  and  hence  that  he  desires  a 
renewal  of  praise,  not  only  for  his  excellent  greatness, 
or  his  marvellous  works,  but  for  what  he  is  in  his  in- 
herent and  inimitable  goodness,  and  for  what  he  im- 
parts in  the  fruitions  of  his  love.  The  very  thought 
of  such  a  discovery,  is  itself  a  new  creation.  It  is 
the  product  of  inspiration,  not  of  mortal  intelligence: 
it  could  proceed  only  from  him  by  whom  it  is  to  be 
substantiated  and  accomplished ;  it  constitutes  its 
own  evidence,  it  authenticates  itself.  Divinity  is 
not  more  its  object  than  its  essence :  incommunica- 
ble majesty  is  impressed  on  every  feature,  and  diffused 
over  all  its  form.  Well  may  it  be  said  of  such  a 
system,  even  as  of  Him  who  is  its  author,  that  herein 


OF    Ills    PEOPLE.  237 

God  is  manifested  in  the  flesh,  beheld  in  his  express 
image  and  his  uncreated  brightness." 

Now  this  salvation,  tlius  so  completely  and  entirely 
out  of  the  creature,  in  God,  takes  in  all  the  circum- 
stances of  a  child  of  God.  It  is  not  only  a  salva- 
tion from  wrath  to  come — that  were  an  immeasura- 
ble act  of  grace — but  it  is  a  present  salvation,  antici- 
pating and  providing  for  every  exigency  of  the  life 
that  now  is,  including  dehverance  from  all  evil,  help 
in  all  trouble,  comfort  in  all  sorrow,  the  supply  of  all 
want,  and  througli  all  conflicts,  assaults,  and  dllBcul- 
ties,  perfect  safety  and  final  triumph.  But  the  single 
point  with  which  we  now  have  to  do,  is,  the  present 
and  certain  security  of  the  believer,  provided  for  in 
the  covenant  of  grace,  made  sure  in  Jesus  the  cove- 
nant head,  and  revealed  in  this  glorious  covenant 
plan  of  salvation.  We  have,  in  the  preceding  chap- 
ter, been  cons^idering  the  inherent  tendency  and  the 
constant  liability  of  a  child  of  God  to  departure  from 
God ;  we  now  would  look  up  to  the  Holy  Spirit  to 
unfold  to  us  this  great  and  consoling  truth,  that  in 
the  midst  of  all  their  weakness,  waywardness,  and 
tendency  to  wander,  tbe  Lord  is  the  keeper  of  his 
people,  and  that  they  whom  he  keeps  are  well  and 
eternally  kept.     "  The  Lord  is  thy  keeper." 

We  cannot  rightly  discuss  our  subject,  without 
laying  its  foundation  in  the  perfect  weakness  of  the 
believer  himself.  If  this  were  not  so, — if  there 
were  aught  of  self-power  in  the  believer,  any  ability 
to  keep  himself, — if  he  were  not  weakness,  all 
weakness,  and  notbing  but  weakness, — then  the 
Lord  could  not  in  truth  be  said  to  be  the  keeper  of 


238  THE  LORD,  THE  KEEPER 

his  people.  This  truth,  we  repeat,  is  the  ground- 
work of  our  subject,  and  of  it  the  behever  needs  to 
be  perpetually  put  in  remembrance.  The  principle 
of  self-confidence  is  the  natural  product  of  the 
human  heart :  the  great  characteristic  of  our  apos- 
tate race,  is,  a  desire  to  live,  and  think,  and  act, 
independently  of  God.  What  is  the  great  citadel, 
to  the  overthrow  of  w4iich  Divine  grace  first  directs 
its  power?  what  is  the  first  step  it  takes  in  the  sub- 
jection of  the  sinner  to  God?  what,  but  the  break- 
ing down  of  this  lofty,  towering,  independent  conceit 
of  himself,  so  natural  to  man,  and  so  abhorrent  to 
God  ?  Now,  let  it  be  remembered,  that  Divine  and 
sovereign  grace  undertakes  not  the  extraction  of  the 
root  of  this  depraved  principle  from  the  heait  of  its 
subjects.  The  root  remains  to  the  very  close  of 
life's  pilgrimage :  though  in  a  measure  weakened, 
subdued,  mortified,  still  it  remains ;  demanding  the 
most  rigid  watchfulness,  connected  with  ceaseless 
prayer,  lest  it  should  spring  upward,  to  the  destruc- 
tion of  his  soul's  prosperity,  the  grieving  of  the 
Spirit,  and  the  dishonoring  of  God.  O  how  much 
the  tender,  faithful  disciphne  of  a  covenant  God, 
may  have  the  subjection  and  mortification  of  this 
hateful  principle  for  its  blessed  end,  who  can  tell? 
We  shall  never  fully  know  until  we  reach  our 
Father's  house,  where  the  dark,  and  to  us,  mysteri- 
ous dealings  of  that  loving  Father  with  us  here 
below,  shall  unfold  themselves  in  Ught  and  glory, 
elevating  the  soul  in  love  and  praise  ! 

That  no  mere  creature,  angelic  or  human,  can 
keep  itself,  is  a  truth  fairly  written  out  in  the  word 


OF    HIS    PEOPLE.  239 

of  God,  and  illustrated  by  some  of  the  most  solemn 
and  allecting  examples.  In  the  Iiistory  of  the 
fallen  angels,  God  has  revealed  and  confirmed  this 
Uuth.  If  any  creature  could  have  kept  itself  from 
falling,  why  not  a  pure  angelic  spirit?  All  that  the 
creature  could  possess  in  itself  favorable  to  its  secu- 
rity, they  had ;  God  created  them  in  perfect  up- 
rightness and  holiness ;  they  were  bound  by  a  law 
implanted  in  their  nature, — the  same  as  the  law  of 
nature  inscribed  on  Adam's  heart,  and  which  in 
substance  corresponds  with  the  moral  law, — they 
were  bound,  we  say,  by  this  law  to  love  God  su- 
premely, to  obey  him  implicitly,  to  serve  him  de- 
votedly and  everlastingly.  No  power  could  release 
them  from  this  obligation ;  nor  did  they  want  the 
moral  capacity  to  obey  it.  The  bent  of  their  wills, 
the  bias  of  their  minds,  the  desire  of  their  affections, 
were  all  towards  it.  And  yet  they  fell !  Why  ? 
Because  God  left  them  to  the  freedom  of  their  wills, 
which  were  mutaljle,  and  that  instant  they  were  left 
to  themselves,  they  fell  as  lightning  from  heaven. 
"  I  beheld,"  said  Christ,  "  Satan  as  lightning  fall 
from  heaven."  If  it  had  been  possible  for  created 
power  to  have  sustained  itself,  iiere  was  the  glorious 
theatre  for  the  display  of  that  power.  Their  natures 
were  holy,  the  God  whom  they  served  was  holy, 
the  place  they  inhabited  was  holy,  their  companions 
were  holy,  their  employments  were  holy,  and  yet 
they  fell!  Again  we  ask  why? — because  no  creature 
ever  had  or  ever  can,  by  any  innate,  inherent 
strength  or  power  of  his  own,  keep  himself:  that 


240  THE  LORD,  THE  KEEPER 

moment  God  leaves  him  to  himself,  that  moment 
he  falls. 

Look  at  Adam  :  he  too  was  created  in  perfect 
holiness ;  not  a  taint  of  sin  originally  in  his  nature ; 
not  a  cloud  darkened  his  mind ;  not  the  least  bias 
of  his  will,  or  a  single  inclination  of  his  heart,  but 
centred  in  God :  and  yet,  he  fell  from  his  original 
holiness.  And  why?  Because  he  could  not  keep 
himself:  God  left  him  to  his  natural  and  moral 
ability,  which  in  the  creature  is  natural  and  moral 
weakness,  he  left  him  to  his  own  free-will,  he  left 
him  to  his  own  innate  power,  and  the  sad  conse- 
quence was,  he  instantly  fell,  and  in  him,  as  their 
federal  head,  fell  the  whole  human  race.  Adam 
was  poor  in  himself, — he  was  a  pensioner  upon  the 
free  bounty  of  the  God  of  heaven  ;  even  when  he 
reposed  amid  the  beauty  and  luxuriance  of  paradise, 
and  trod  the  earth  as  the  monarch  of  a  new  and  a 
glorious  world,  every  object  of  which  paid  him 
homage,  and  submitted  to  his  will,  even  then  was 
he,  as  all  creatures  necessarily  must  be,  poor  in 
himself,  and  hung  as  a  w^eak  dependent  creature 
upon  the  God  that  created  him.  And  the  moment 
that  God  withdrew  his  sustaining  power,  that  moment 
Adam  tore  the  crown  of  creature  glory  from  his  head, 
and  trampled  it  into  atoms  in  the  dust ! 

Look  at  the  histories  of  some  of  the  most  eTninent 
of  God's  saints.  What  affecting  confirmation  do 
they  afford  to  the  most  important  truth  we  are  now 
upon,  that  the  creature  left  to  itself,  is  perfect  weak- 
ness !  If  the  angels  in  their  purity,  if  Adam  in  his 
state  of  innocence,  fell  in  consequence  of  being  left 


OF    niS    PEOPLE.  241 

in  the  sorereign  will  of  God  to  their  own  keeping, 
what  may  we  expect  from  a  fallen,  sinful,  imperfect 
creature,  even  though  renewed  ?  Do  we  look  into 
God's  blessed  word,  and  read  what  is  tliere  declared, 
touching  the  power  of  a  renewed  creature  to  keep  it- 
self? How  affecting,  and  at  the  same  time  conclusive 
these  declarations  are :  "  Having  no  might ;"  "  With- 
out strength  ;"  '•'  "Weak  through  the  flesh  ;"  "  Out 
of  weakness  were  made  strong."  Could  language 
more  forcibly  set  forth  the  utter  weakness  of  a  child 
of  God?  And  what  are  the.  figures  employed  to 
impress  upon  the  mind  the  same  truth?  They  are 
most  expressive ;  the  believer  is  represented  as  a 
*  lamb  among  wolves,' — -as  a  dove  ready  to  be  fastened 
upon  by  the  vulture, — as  a  '  lily  among  thorns,' — as 
'  a  bruised  reed,' — -as  '  smoking  flax,' — as  a  feeble 
branch  hanging  upon  the  vine.  And  what  are  their 
own  acknoioledgmeiits  ?  '•  The  Lord  is  the  strength 
of  my  life  ;"  "  The  Lord  is  my  shepherd  ;"  "  Hold 
thou  me  up  and  I  shall  be  safe  ;"  "  Keep  back  thy 
servant  also  from  presumptuous  sins  ;"  "  Hold  up  my 
goings  in  thy  paths,  that  my  footsteps  slip  not;" 
"  We  had  the  sentence  of  death  in  ourselves,  that  we 
should  not  trust  in  ourselves  ;"  "  yet  not  J,  but  the 
grace  of  God  which  w^as  with  me;"  "  By  the  grace 
of  God  I  am  what  I  am."  And  what  are  the  exam- 
ples  ?  To  select  but  a  few  from  among  many  :  look 
at  the  intemperance  of  Noah,  the  unbelief  of  Abra- 
ham, the  adultery  and  murder  of  David,  the  idolatry 
of  Solomon,  the  self-righteousness  of  Job,  the  im- 
patience of  Moses,  the  self-confidence,  and  trimming, 
temporising  policy  of  Peter.  Solemn  are  these  les- 
2) 


242  THE  LORD,  THE  KEEPER 

sons  of  the  creature's  nothingness  ;  affecting  these  ex- 
amples of  his  perfect  weakness  ! 

But  why  speak  of  others  ?  Let  the  reader,  if  he 
is  a  professing  child  of  God,  pause  and  survey  the 
past  of  his  own  life.  What  marks  of  perfect  weak- 
ness may  he  discover,  what  evidences  of  his  own 
fickleness,  folly,  immature  judgment,  may  he  trace, 
what  outbreakings  of  deep  iniquity,  what  disclosures 
of  hidden  corruption,  what  startling  symptoms  of  the 
most  awful  departure  and  apostacy  from  God,  does 
the  review  present !  And  this,  too,  let  it  be  remem- 
bered, is  the  history  of  a  believer  in  Jesus,  a  renewed 
child  of  God,  a  partaker  of  the  Divine  nature,  an  ex- 
pectant of  eternal  glory  !  Holy  and  blessed  are  they 
who,  as  they  read  and  lay  aside  this  book,  shall  re- 
linquish all  their  fond  conceit  of  self-power,  and  of 
self-keeping,  and  shall  pray,  and  cease  not  to  pray, 
"  Lord,  hold  thou  me  up,  and  1  shall  be  safe  !"  "  Let 
him  that  thinketh  he  standeth,  take  heed  lest  he 
fall." 

But  the  Lord  will  cause  his  people  to  k?iow  their 
perfect  weakness  and  insufficiency  to  keep  themselves 
and  that,  too,  not  notionally,  not  theoretically,  nor 
from  what  they  hear,  or  from  what  they  read,  but 
from  their  own  deep  personal  experience  of  the  truth  : 
yea,  he  is  perpetually  causing  them  to  learn  it.  I 
do  not  alkide  merely  to  that  blessed  period  when  the 
Holy  Ghost  first  lays  his  axe  at  the  fabric  of  their 
self-righteousness, — truly  they  first  learn  it  then, — 
but  it  is  a  truth  they  become  growingly  acquainted 
with  ;  it  is  a  lesson  they  are  made  daily  to  learn  ; 
and  he  becomes   the   most  perfectly  schooled  in  it, 


OF    HIS    PEOPLE.  243 

who  watches  most  narrowly  his  own  heart,  is  most 
observant  of  his  own  way,  and  deals  most  constantly 
and  simply  with  the  cross  of  Jesus.  With  regard  to 
the  way  which  the  Lord  adopts  to  bring  them  into 
the  knowledge  of  it,  it  is  various.  Sometimes  it  is 
by  Ininging  them  into  great  straits  and  difficulties, 
hedging  up  their  path  with  thorns,  or  paving  it  with 
flints.  Sometimes  it  is  in  deep  adversity  after  great 
prosperity,  as  in  the  case  of  Job,  stripped  of  all,  and 
laid  in  dust  and  ashes,  in  order  to  be  brought  to  the 
conviction  and  the  confession  of  deep  and  utter  vile- 
ness.  Sometimes  it  is  circumstances  of  absolute  pros- 
perity, when  he  gives  the  heart  its  desire,  but  sends 
leanness  into  the  soul.  O  how  does  this  teach  a 
godly  man  his  own  utter  nothingness  !  Sometimes  it 
is  by  permitting  the  messenger  of  Satan  to  buffet, — 
sending  and  perpetuating  some  heavy  lingering,  lace- 
rating cross.  Sometimes  by  the  removal  of  some  be- 
loved prop  on  which  we  too  fondly  and  securely  leaned, 
— putting  a  worm  at  the  root  of  our  pleasant  out- 
spreading gourd,  drying  up  our  refreshing  spring,  or 
leading  us  down  deep  into  the  valley  of  self-abase- 
ment and  humiUation. 

But  the  great  school  in  which  we  learn  this  pain- 
ful, yet  needed  and  wholesome  lesson  is,  in  the  body 
of  sin  which  we  daily  bear  about  with  us.  It  was 
here  Paul  learned  his  lesson,  as  the  seventh  chapter 
of  his  letter  to  the  church  at  Rome  shows,  and  for 
which  epistle  the  saints  of  God  will  ever  have  reason 
to  praise  and  adore  the  blessed  and  Eternal  Spirit : 
"I  know  that  in  me  (that  is,  in  my  flesh,)  dwelleth 
no  good  thing :  for  to  will  is  present  with  me ;  but 


244  THE    LORD,    THE    KEEPER 

how  to  perform  that  which  is  good  I  find  not.  For 
the  good  that  I  would  I  do  not ;  but  the  evil  which 
I  would  not,  that  I  do.  Now  if  I  do  that  I  would 
not,  it  is  no  more  I  that  do  it,  but  sin  that  dwelleth 
in  me.  O  wretched  man  that  I  am  !  who  shall  de- 
liver me  from  the  body  of  this  death  ?"  In  this 
school  and  in  this  way,  did  the  great  apostle  of  the 
Gentiles  learn  that  the  most  holy,  deeply  taught, 
useful,  privileged,  and  even  inspired  saint  of  God, 
was  in  himself  nothing  but  the  most  perfect  weak- 
ness and  sin.  Be  not  thou  cast  down,  dear  reader, 
if  the  Lord  the  Spirit  is  teaching  you  the  same 
lesson  in  the  same  way  ;  if  he  is  now  ploughing  up 
the  hidden  evil,  breaking  up  the  fallow  ground,  dis- 
covering to  you  more  of  the  evil  principle  of  your 
heart,  the  iniquity  of  your  fallen  nature,  and  that, 
too,  it  may  be,  at  a  time  of  deep  trial,  of  heavy, 
heart-breaking  affliction.  Ah  !  thou  art  ready  to 
exclaim,  "  All  these  things  are  against  me  :  '  I  was 
at  ease,  but  he  hath  broken  me  asunder ;  he  hath 
also  taken  me  by  my  neck,  and  shaken  me  to  pieces, 
and  set  me  up  for  his  mark.  His  archers  compass 
me  round  about ;  he  cleaveth  my  reins  asunder,  and 
doth  not  spare ;  he  poureth  out  my  gall  upon  the 
ground.  He  breaketh  me  with  breach  upon  breach, 
he  runneth  upon  me  Hke  a  giant.'  Job  xvi.  12 — 14. 
Am  I  a  child  of  God  ?  Can  I  be  a  subject  of  grace, 
and  at  the  same  time  be  the  subject  of  so  much  hid- 
den evil,  and  of  such  deep,  overwhelming  trial  ?  Is 
this  the  way  he  dealeth  with  his  people  V — 

"  I  asked  the  Lord  that  I  might  grow 
In  faith,  and  love,  and  every  grace, 


OF    HIS    PEOPLE.  245 

Might  more  of  his  salvation  know, 
And  seek  more  earnestly  his  face. 

"  'Twas  he  who  taught  me  thus  to  pray, 
And  he,  I  trust,  has  answered  prayer ; 
But  it  has  been  in  such  a  way, 
As  almost  drove  me  to  despair. 

"I  hoped  that  in  some  favored  hour. 
At  once  he'd  answer  my  request. 
And  by  his  love's  constraining  power, 
Subdue  my  sins  and  give  me  rest. 

"  Instead  of  this,  he  made  me  feci 
The  hidden  evils  of  my  heart; 
And  let:  the  angry  powers  of  hell 
Assault  my  soul  in  every  part. 

"  Yea  more ;  with  his  own  hand  he  seemed 
Intent  to  aggravate  my  woe ; 
Crossed  all  the  fair  designs  I  schemed. 
Blasted  my  gourds,  and  laid  me  low. 

"'Lord,  why  is  this?'  I  trembling  cried, 
'  Wilt  thou  pursue  thy  worm  to  death  1' 
'  'Tis  in  this  way.'  the  Lord  replied, 
'I  answer  prayer  for  grace  and  faith. 

"  'These  inward  trials  I  employ, 
'  From  self  and  pride  to  set  thee  free, 
'  And  break  thy  schemes  of  earthly  joy, 
'  That  thou  mayst  seek  thy  all  in  me.'  " 

Yes,  dear  believer,  thou  art  not  solitary  nor  alone  : 
for  along  this  path,  all  the  covenant  people  of  God 
are  travelling  to  their  better  and  brighter  home. 
Here  they  become  acquainted  with  their  own  weak- 
ness, their  perpetual  Uability  to  fall ;  here  they  re- 
nouace  their  former  thoughts  of  self-power  and  of 
self-keeping;  and  here,  too,  they  learn  more  of  Jesus  as 
21* 


246  THE  LORD,  THE  KEEPER 

their  strength,  their  all-sufficient  keeper,  more  of  him 
as  their  "  wisdom,  righteousness,  sanctification,  and 
redemption."  Cheer  up,  then,  for  the  Lord  thy  God 
is  leading  thee  on  by  a  safe  and  a  right  way  to 
bring  thee  to  a  city  of  rest. 

But  the  Lord  is  the  keeper  of  his  people.  To 
the  consideration  of  this  point,  let  us  direct  our  re- 
maining meditations.  If  what  we  have  advanced 
touching  the  perfect  helplessness,  the  proneness  to 
constant  departure  of  the  child  of  God,  be  true ; 
surely  it  needs  no  argument  to  show,  that  the  be- 
liever stands  in  need  of  just  such  a  keeper  as  God  is. 
If  he  cannot  keep  himself,  no  mere  creature  can 
keep  him — none  but  God  in  Christ. 

Our  blessed  Lord  has  himself  declared  this  truth. 
Mark  the  double  security  of  the  believer  in  his  and 
bis  Father's  hands  :  "  My  sheep  hear  my  voice,  and 
I  know  them,  and'  they  follow  me :  and  I  give  unto 
them  eternal  life  and  they  shall  never  perish,  neither 
shall  any  pluck  them  out  of  my  hand.  My  Father, 
which  gave  them  to  me,  is  greater  than  all  ;  and 
none  is  able  to  pluck  them  out  of  my  Father's 
hand.  I  and  my  Father  are  one."  John  x.  27 — 30. 
Here  they  are  declared  to  be  his  own  chosen  peculiar 
people,  his  sheep  ;  given  to  him  of  his  Father,  and 
perfectly  safe  in  the  hands  of  both.  Listen  to  the 
breathing  of  his  soul  on  behalf  of  his  people:  "And 
now  I  am  no  more  in  the  world,  but  these  are  in  the 
world,  and  I  come  to  thee.  Holy  Father,  keep 
through  thine  own  name  those  whom  thou  hast 
given  me,  that  they  may  be  one  as  we  are.     While 


OF    HIS    PEOPLE.  247 

I  was  with  them  in  the  w*ovld,  I  kept  them  in  thy 
name  ;   those  that  thou  gave^st  me  I  liave  kept." 

That  the  Lord  Jesus  is  able  to  keep  his  people 
from  falling,  is  a  view  of  our  subject  worthy  of 
especial  and  grateful  consideration.  This  is  the 
ground-work  of  our  faith, — that  Christ  ho-s  jwwer  to 
keep,  through  all  time  and  to  all  eternity,  the  people 
entrusted  to  his  care.  They  are  his  portion,  his 
bride,  his  jew^els ;  they  were  committed  to  him  of 
his  leather,  and  therefore  he  is  responsible  for  their 
present  and  eternal  salvation.  Let  us  see  how^  he 
is  in  all  respects  fitted  for  this  great  undertaking. 

As  God,  Christ  is  able  to  keep  his  people.  AVhen 
Jehovah  made  promise  of  any  blessing  to  his  ancient 
people,  with  a  view  of  confirming  their  faith  in  his 
ability  to  perform  what  he  had  promised,  he  was 
wont  to  append  to  his  name  Almighty,  ''  the  Lord 
that  created  the  heaven  and  the  earth ;"  so  that, 
however  great  and  stupendous,  and  seemingly  im- 
possible, might  appear  the  thing  promised.  He  who 
"  created  heaven  and  earth"  w^as  able  to  perform  it. 
Now  this  very  perfection  of  God,  this  w^ork  that 
stamps  his  omnipotence,  and  which  answers  all  ques- 
tion and  silences  all  doubt  as  to  his  "  eternal  power 
and  Godhead,"  belongs  and  is  ascribed  to  Christ  the 
Keeper  of  his  people.  Thus, — "  By  him  (Christ) 
were  all  things  created  that  are  in  heaven  and  that 
are  in  earth,  visible  and  invisible,  whether  they  be 
thrones,  or  dominions,  or  principalities,  or  powers  : 
all  things  Avere  created  by  him  and  for  him :  and  he 
is  before  all  things,  and  by  him  all  things  consist." 
Col.  i,  16,  17.     Not  less  strikingly  is  the  same  exer- 


248  THE  LORD,  THE  KEEPER 

cise  of  omnipotent  power  applied  to  Christ  in  the 
epistle  to  the  Hebrews, — "  Who  being  the  brightness 
of  his  [Father's]  glory,  and  the  express  image  of 
his  person,  and  upholding  all  things  hy  the  word 
of  his  j)ower^  when  he  had  by  himself  purged  our 
sins,  sat  down  on  the  right  hand  of  the  Majesty  on 
high."  ch.  i.  3.  In  this  passage,  Jesus  is  invested 
with  a  creative  and  a  sustaining  ^owex^ — attributes 
that  can  be  predicated  only  of  God.  Here  lies,  then, 
the  great  ability  of  Christ,  as  the  Keeper  of  his 
covenant  people.  The  same  perfection  which  qual- 
ified him  as  the  covenant  head  and  surety  of  his 
people  ;  the  same  almighty  strength  which  enabled 
him  to  work  out  their  salvation,  to  bear  the  burthen 
and  the  curse  of  their  sins,  enables  him  to  preserve 
them  while  -'dead  in  trespasses  and  in  sins,"  and  to 
keep  them  after  they  have  been  called  and  renewed 
by  the  operation  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  As  God,  then, 
he  is  able  to  keep  his  saints  from  falling. 

But,  as  God-man  Mediator,  he  is  also  able  to  keep 
his  people.  As  the  covenant  head  and  preserver  of 
his  church,  "it  pleased  the  Father  that  in  him 
should  all  fulness  dwell."  The  Father  knew  what 
his  beloved  family  would  need.  He  knew  what  cor- 
ruptions would  threaten  them,  what  temptations 
would  beguile  them,  what  foes  would  assail  them, 
what  infirmities  would  encompass  them,  and  what 
trials  would  depress  them  ;  therefore  it  pleased  him, 
it  was  his  own  good  and  gracious  pleasure,  that  in 
his  Son,  the  mediator  of  his  beloved  people,  should 
all  fulness  dwell ; — a  fulness  of  merit,  a  fulness  of 
pardon,  a  fulness  of  righteousness,  a  fulness  of  grace, 


OF    HIS    PKOPLK.  249 

wisdom,  and  strength,  commensurate  with  the  varied, 
multipHed,  and  diversified  circumstances  of  his  fam- 
ily. It  is  "  all  fuhiess."  "  Full,"  as  Owen  beauti- 
fully remarks,  "  to  a  sufficiency  for  every  end  of 
grace ;  full  for  practice,  to  be  an  example  to  men 
and  angels  as  to  obedience  ;  full  to  a  certainty  of  un- 
interrupted communion  with  God  ;  full  to  a  readi- 
ness of  giving  supply  to  others ;  full  to  suit  him  to 
all  the  occasions  and  necessities  of  the  souls  of  men  ; 
full  to  a  glory  not  unbecoming  a  subsistence  in  the 
person  of  the  Son  of  God ;  full  to  a  perfect  victory 
in  trials  over  all  temptations  ;  full  to  an  exact  cor- 
respondence to  the  whole  law,  every  righteous  and 
holy  law  of  God  ;  full  to  the  utmost  capacity  of  a 
limited,  created,  finite  nature  ;  full  to  the  greatest 
beauty  and  glory  of  a  living  temple  of  God ;  full  to 
the  full  pleasure  and  delight  of  the  soul  of  his 
Father;  full  to  an  everlasting  monument  of  the 
gloiy  of  God,  in  giving  such  inconceivable  excellen- 
cies to  the  Son  of  man." 

As  the  Mediator,  then,  of  his  people,  he  keeps 
them  in  perfect  safety  by  night  and  by  day.  No 
man,  no  power,  can  pluck  them  out  of  his  hands ; 
he  has  undertaken  their  full  salvation.  To  die  for 
their  sins,  and  to  rise  again  for  their  justification,  and 
yet  not  to  provide  for  their  security  while  travelling 
through  a  world  of  sin  and  temptation, — to  leave 
them  to  their  own  guardianship,  an  unprotected  prey 
to  their  own  hearts'  corruptions,  the  machinations  of 
Satan,  and  the  jiower  of  worldly  entanglement, — 
would  have  been  but  a  partial  salvation  of  his  peo- 
ple.    Opposed  by  a  threefold  enemy, — Satan  and  the 


250  THE  LORD,  THE  KEEPER 

world  in  league  with  their  own  imperfectly  renewed 
and  sanctified  hearts,  that  treacherous  foe  dwelling 
within  the  camp,  ever  ready  to  betray  the  soul  into 
the  hands  of  its  enemies, — how  could  a  poor,  weak 
child  of  God  bear  up  and  breast  this  powerful  pha- 
lanx ?  But  he  who  was  mighty  to  save,  is  mighty 
to  keep ;  in  him  provision  is  made  for  all  the  trying, 
intricate,  perilous  circumstances  in  which  the  believer 
may  be  placed.  Grace  is  laid  up  for  the  subjection 
of  every  inbred  corruption, — an  armor  is  provided 
for  every  assault  of  the  foe, — wisdom,  strength,  con- 
solation, sympathy,  kindness, — all,  all  that  a  poor 
believing  sinner  can  possibly  require,  is  richly  stored 
in  Jesus,  the  covenant  Head  of  all  the  fulness  of 
God  to  his  people. 

But  how  is  the  child  of  God  to  avail  himself  of 
this  provision  ?  The  simple  but  glorious  life  of  faith 
exhibits  itself  here.  It  is  by  faith  in  Christ  the  soul 
is  made  strong  in  battle  ;  this  is  the  channel  through 
which  the  fulness  of  Jesus  comes  to  the  believer.  By 
faith  he  travels  up  to  this  rich  and  ample  supply ; 
by  faith  he  takes  his  nothingness  to  Christ's  all- 
sufficiency  ;  by  faith  he  takes  his  unworthiness  to 
Christ's  infinite  merit ;  by  faith  he  takes  his  weak- 
ness to  Christ's  strength,  his  folly  to  Christ's  wisdom  ; 
his  fearful  heart,  his  timid  spirit,  his  nervous  frame, 
his  doubtful  mind,  his  beclouded  evidences,  his  rebel- 
lious will,  his  painful  cross,  hispeculiar  case  of  what- 
ever nature  it  maybe,  in  the  way  oi  believing,  in  the 
exercise  of  simple  faith,  he  goes  with  it  to  Jesus, 
and  as  an  empty  vessel  hangs  himself  upon  that 
"  nail  fastened  in  a  sure  place,"  the  glorious  Eliakim 


OF    HIS    PEOPLE.  251 

on  whom  is  hung  "all  the  glory  of  his  Father's 
house,  the  offspring  and  the  issue,  all  vessels  of 
small  quantity  ;  from  the  vessels  of  cups,  even  to  all 
the  vessels  of  flagons."  Isaiah  xxii.  24.  Thus  may 
the  weakest  believer,  the  most  severely  assailed,  the 
most  deeply  tried,  the  most  painfully  tempted,  lay 
his  Goliath  dead  at  his  feet,  by  a  simple  faith's-deal- 
ing  with  the  fulness  that  is  in  Christ  Jesus.  0  how 
mighty  is  the  believer,  who,  in  deep  distrust  of  his 
own  power,  casting  off  from  him  all  spirit  of  self-de- 
pendence, looks  simply  and  fully  at  Jesus,  and  goes 
not  forth  to  meet  liis  enemy,  only  as  he  is  "strong 
in  the  strength  that  is  in  Christ." 

'But  what  is  the  great  evil  of  which  the  true  saints 
of  God  must  stand  in  jeopardy,  and  which  their 
timid,  fearful  hearts  most  dread?  Is  it  not  secret 
and  outward  backsliding  from  God,  after  conver 
sion  l  Surely  it  is,  as  the  experience  of  every  lion 
est,  upright,  God-fearing  man  will  testify.  It  is  his 
consolation  then  to  know,  that  Jesus  is  "  able  to 
keep  h'nn  from  fall  i?ig  ;"  "  Unto  him  that  is  able  to 
keep  you  from  falling."  Jude  24.  This  is  the  most 
overwhelming  evil  that  stares  the  believer  in  the 
face.  Some,  but  imperfectly  taught  in  the  word, 
are  dreading  awful  apostacy  from  the  faith  here,  and 
final  condemnation  from  the  presence  of  God  here- 
after,— believing  that  though  Christ  has  made  full 
satisfaction  for  their  sins  to  Divine  justice,  has  can- 
celled the  mighty  debt,  has  imputed  to  them  his 
righteousness,  has  blotted  out  their  iniquities,  has 
called,  renewed,  sanctified,  and  taken  full  possession 
of  them  by  his  Spirit,  and  has  ascended  up  on  high, 


252  THE    LORD,    THE    KEEPER 

to  plead  their  cause  with  the  Father  ;  that  yet,  after 
all  this  stupendous  exercise  of  power,  and  this  match- 
less display  of  free  grace,  they  may  be  left  to  utter 
apostacy  from  God,  and  be  finally  and  eternally  lost. 
If  there  is  one  doctrine  more  awful  in  its  nature,  dis- 
tressing in  its  consequences,  and  directly  opposed  to 
the  glory  of  God  and  the  honor  of  Christ,  than 
another,  methinks  it  is  this. 

Others,  again,  more  clearly  taught  by  the  Spirit, 
are  heard  to  say,  '  I  believe  in  the  stability  of  the 
covenant,  in  the  imchangeableness  of  God's  love, 
and  in  the  faithfulness  of  my  heavenly  Father,  but  I 
fear  lest  some  day  under  some  sharp  temptation, 
some  burst  of  indwelling  sin,  when  the  enemy  shall 
come  in  as  a  flood,  I  shall  fail,  to  the  wounding  of 
my  peace,  to  the  shame  of  my  brethren,  and  to  the 
dishonoring  of  Christ.'  Dear  believer,  truly  thou 
wouldst '  fall,  were  he  to  leave  thee  to  thine  own 
keeping  for  one  moment ;  but  Jesus  is  able  to  keep 
thee  from  faUing.  Read  the  promises,  believe  them, 
rest  upon  them.  Concerning  his  redeemed  church, 
what  does  he  say  ?  "  I,  the  Lord,  do  keep  it ;  I  will 
water  it  every  moment,  lest  any  hurt  it ;  I  will  keep 
it  night  and  day."  Isa.  xxvii.  3.  "  The  Lord  up- 
holdeth  the  righteous."  Psalm  xxxvii.  17.  "  The 
righteous  shall  hold  on  his  way,  and  he  that  hath 
clean  hands  shall  be  stronger  and  stronger."  Job  xvi. 
9.  "  They  go  from  strength  to  strength,  every  one 
of  them  in  Zion  appeareth  before  God."  Ps.  Ixxxiv. 
7.  "  They  that  trust  in  the  Lord  shall  be  as  mount 
Zion,  which  cannot  be  removed,  but  abideth  for 
ever.     As  the  mountains  are  round  about  Jesusalem, 


OP    HIS    PEOPLE.  253 

SO  the  Lord  is  round  about  his  people,  from  hence- 
forth, even  for  ever."  Psalm  cxxv.  1,  2.  "  Kept  by 
the  power  of  God,  through  faith,  unto  salvation." 
1  Pet.  i.  5.  "  I  will  lift  up  mine  eyes  unto  the  hills, 
from  whence  cometh  my  help.  My  help  cometh 
from  the  Lord,  which  made  heaven  and  earth.  He 
will  not  suffer  thy  foot  to  be  moved :  he  that  keep- 
eth  thee  will  not  slumber.  Behold,  he  that  keepeth 
Israel  will  neither  slumber  nor  sleep.  The  Lord  is 
thy  keeper."  Psalm  cxxi.  1 — 5. 

A  simple  glance  at  these  passages  will  present  to 
the  believer's  eye,  a  threefold  cord,  by  which  he  is 
kept  from  falling.  In  the  first  place,  God  the  Father 
keeps  him, — "  kept  by  the  power  of  God  ;"  the  power 
that  created  and  upholds  the  world,  keeps  the  belie- 
ver. The  eternal  purpose,  love,  and  grace  of  the 
Father  keep  him  :  this  is  the  first  cord. 

Again,  God  the  Son  keeps  him  :  "  My  sheep  hear 
my  voice,  and  I  know  them,  and  they  follow  me ; 
and  I  give  unto  them  eternal  life  ;  and  they  shall 
never  perish,  neither  shall  any  man  pluck  them  out 
of  my  hand."  The  covenant  engagements,  the  per- 
fect obedience,  the  atoning  death  of  Immanuel,  keep 
the  believer :  this  is  the  second  cord. 

Yet  again,  God  the  Holy  Ghost  keeps  him : 
"  When  the  enemy  shall  come  in  like  a  flood,  the 
Spirit  of  the  Lord  shall  lift  up  a  standard  against 
him,"  (marg.  sliall  put  him  to  flight.)  The  effec- 
tual calling,  the  personal  indwelling,  the  tender  love, 
the  covenant  faithfulness,  and  the  omnipotent  power 
of  the  Eternal  Spirit,  keep  the  believer :  this  is  the 
third  cord.     And  "  a  threefold  cord   is  not  quickly 

22 


254 


THE    LORD,    THE    KEEPER 


broken."  Ecclcs.  iv.  12.     Exceeding  great  and  pre- 
cious promises  !     Well  may  we  sing  with  the  poet— 

"More  happy,  but  not  more  secure, 
The  glorified  spirits  in  heaven." 

But  with  these  promises  of  the  triune  God  to  keep 
his  people  from  falling,  he  has  wisely  and  graciously 
connected  the  diligent,  prayerful  use  of  all  the  means 
which  he  has  appointed  for  this  end.  The  behever 
is  nowhere  in  the  Bible  spoken  of,  or  addressed,  as  a 
lifeless  machine,  a  mere  automaton  ;  but  as  one 
"alive  unto  God,"  Rom.  vi.  11,— as  "created  in 
Christ  Jesus,"  Eph.  ii.  10,— as  a  "  partaker  of  the 
Divine  nature,"  2  Pet.  i.  4.  As  such  he  is  com- 
manded to  "  work  out  his  own  salvation  with  fear  and 
trembling,"  Phil.  ii.  12,— to  "  give  diligence  to  make 
his  calling  and  election  sure,"  2  Pet.  i.  10,— to 
"watch  and  pray,  lest  he  enter  into  temptation," 
Matt.  xxvi.  41 :  and  the  apostle  Jude  thus  affection- 
ately and  earnestly  exhorts  the  saints  to  whom  he 
addressed  his  brief  epistle,  "  But  ye,  beloved,  building 
up  yourselves  on  your  most  holy  faith,  praying  in 
the  Holy  Ghost,  keep  yourselves  in  the  love  of  God, 
looking  for  the  mercy  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  unto 
eternal  life,"  20,  21.  Thus  does  God  throw  a 
measure  of  the  responsibility  of  his  own  standing 
upon  the  believer  himself,  that  he  might  not  be  sloth- 
ful, unwatchful,  and  prayerless,  but  be  ever  sensible 
of  his  solemn  obligations  to  "deny  ungodliness  and 
worldly  lusts,  and  to  live  soberly,  righteously,  and 
godly,  in  this  present  world,"  remembering  that  he 
is  "  not  his  own,  but  is  bought  with  a  price." 


OF    Ills    PEOPLE.  255 

Let  the  reader  guard  against  the  slightest  abuse 
of  any  of  the  great  truths  discussed  in  this  work, 
especially  the  one  insisted  upon  in  this  chapter.  If 
the  power  of  God  is  the  efficient  cause  of  the  eternal 
security  of  the  believer,  yet,  as  auxiliaries  which 
God  has  appointed,  and  by  which  he  instrumentally 
works,  the  believer  is  to  use  dihgently  all  holy  means 
of  keeping  himself  from  falling  ;  as  a  temple  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  as  the  subject  of  the  Divine  life,  as  a 
pardoned,  justified  man,  he  is  called  to  labor  perse- 
veringly,  to  pray  ceaselessly,  and  to  watch  vigilantly. 
He  is  not  to  run  wilfully  into  temptation,  to  expose 
himself  needlessly  to  the  power  of  the  enemy,  to  sur- 
round himself  with  unholy  and  hostile  influences, 
and  then  take  refuge  in  the  truth,  that  the  Lord  will 
keep  him  from  falling.  God  forbid  !  This  were 
most  awfully  to  abuse  the  "  doctrine  that  is  after 
godliness,"  to  hold  the  truth  in  unrighteousness ;" 
and  to  make  "  Christ  the  minister  of  sin."  Dear 
reader,  watch  and  pray  against  this  ! 

And  lastly  :  Let  the  cheering  prospect  of  that  glory 
vmto  which  you  are  kept,  stimulate  you  to  all  dili- 
gent perseverance  in  holy  duty,  and  constrain  you  to 
all  patient  endurance  of  suffering.  In  all  your  con- 
flicts with  indwelling  sin,  under  the  pressure  of  all 
outward  trial,  let  this  precious  truth  comfort  you, — 
that  your  heavenly  Father  hath  "  begotten  you  again 
unto  a  lively  hope,  by  the  resurrection  of  Jesus  Christ 
from  tlie  dead,  to  an  inheritance  incorruptible  and 
undefiled,  and  that  fadeth  not  away,  reserved  in 
heaven  for  you  who  are  kept  by  the  power  of  God 
through  faith  unto  salvation  ;"  that  soon — O  how 


256       THE    LORD,    THE    KEEPER    OP    HIS    PEOPLE. 

soon  ! — all  that  now  loads  the  heart  with  care,  and 
wrings  it  with  sorrow — all  that  dims  the  eye  with 
tears,  and  renders  the  day  anxious  and  the  night 
sleepless,  will  be  as  though  it  had  never  been.  Emerg- 
ing from  the  entanglenent,  the  dreariness,  the  sole- 
tude,  the  loneliness,  and  the  temptations  of  the  wil- 
derness, you  shall  enter  upon  your  everlasting  rest, 
your  unfading  inheritance,  where  there  is  no  sorrow, 
no  declension,  no  sin  ;  where  there  is  no  sunset,  no 
twilight,  no  evening  shades,  no  midnight  darkness, 
but  all  is  one  perfect,  cloudless,  eternal  day — for 
Jesus  is  the  joy,  the  light,  and  the  glory  thereof. 

"Now  UNTO  HIM  THAT  IS  ABLE  TO  KEEP  YOU 
FROM  FALLING,  AND  TO  PRESENT  YOU  FAULTLESS 
BEFORE  THE  PRESENCE  OF  HIS  GLORY  WITH  EX- 
CEEDING JOY,  TO  THE  ONLY  WISE  GoD  OUR  Sa- 
VIOUR,  BE  GLORY  AND  MAJESTY,  DOMINION  AND 
POWER,  BOTH  NOW  AND  EVER."    Auien. 


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In  Three  Parts. — I.  The  Origin,   Design,   and  Obligation  of  the  Sabbath. 
II.  Practical  Improvement  of  tiie  Sabbath.     III.  Devotional  Exerciees 
for  the  Sabbath.     By  tho  Rev.  J,  B.  Walerbury,  autiior  of  the  "  Ad- 
rice  to  a  Young  Christian,"  &c. 
6 


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MEMOIR  OF 
GEORGE  ARCHIBALD  LUNDIE, 

By  Mrs.  Duncan,  author  of  the  "  Memoir  of  Mary  Lundie  Duncan." 

THOUGHTS  AND  COUNSELS 

FOR  THE   IMPENITENT 
By    the    Rev.    J.    M.    Olmstead. 

ANNALS    OF  THE  POOR. 

Containing  the  "  Dairyman's  Daughter,"  "The  Young  Cottager,"  "The 
Negro  Servant,"  &c.     By  the  Rev.  Legh  Richmond,  A.M 

THE  OLD  N/VHITE  MEETING-HOUSE 

Or,  Reminiscences  of  a  Country  Congregation. 

LIFE   IN  THE  CITY. 

By  the  Author  of"  The  Old  White  Meeting-Honse." 

JACOB'S  WELL. 

By  the  Rev.  George  Albert  Rogers,  A.M. 

OWEN  GLADDON'S 

WANDERINGS  IN   THE   ISLE  OF  WIGHT. 
By  Old  Humphrey. 

P»THY   PAPERS 

ON  SINGULAR  SUBJECTS.     By  Old  Humphrey. 

ZION'S    PILGRIM. 

Or,  the  Way  to   the   Heavenly   Canaan.      By  the  Rev.  Robert  Hawker' 

NIGHT  OF   WEEPING. 

Or,  Words  for   the   Suffering  Family   of  God.     By  the   Rev.  Horatiua 
Bonar,  Kelso,  Scotland. 

MOUNT   OF  OLIVES, 

By  the  Rev.  James  Hamilton,  author  of  "  Life  in  Earnest,"  &c. 

MEMOIR    OF    SARAH    MARTIN. 

LUTHER   AND    CALVIN. 

By  D'Aubigne. 

GOD    IN    THE    STORM. 

By  Rev.  L.  W.  P.  Balch,   Dr.  Beecher,  and  Rev.  Thomas  Smyth,  D.D. 

GLORY,  GLORY,  GLORY. 

And    other    Narratives.         By    Miss    Bunbury. 

THE    MARTYR    LAMB; 

Or,  Christ  the  Representative  of  his  People.      By  Krpgimaohei. 

ELIJAH    THE    TISHBITE. 

By  F.  W.  Krummacher. 
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THE  FAMILY    OF    BEXHANY. 

By  L.  Bonnet.      With  an  Essay,  l>y  the   Rev.  Hugh  White.     Fourth  Ed. 

XHE    RETROSPECT; 

By  Aliquis.     Third  Amei-icaii  fDm  the  eighteenth  London  Edition. 

MCCRIE  ON  ESTHER. 

A  TREATISE  ON  PRAYER. 

By  the  Rev.  Edward  Bickersteth. 

MICHAEL   KEMP, 

The  Happy  Farmer's  Lad.     By  Anno  Woodroofte.     Third  Edition. 

COMFORT   IN    AFFLICTION. 

By  the  Rev.  James  Buchanan.      From  the  ninth  Edinburgh  Edition. 

LIGHTS  &,  SHADOWS  OFSCOTTISH  LIFE. 

By  Professor  Wilson.      18mo. 

MEMOIR   OF   MARY    LUNDIE   DUNCAN. 

Second  American  E<lition.      18mo. 

PRACTICAL    REFLECTIONS 

On  the  Second  Advent.      By   the    Rev.  Hugh  White,  A.M.      18mo. 

PERSUASIVES  TO   EARLY   PIETY. 

By  the  Rev.  J.  G.  I'ike. 

DODDRIDGE'S    RISE    AND   PROGRESS. 

THE  COTTAGE   FIRESIDE; 

Or,  the  Parish  Schoolmaster.      By  the  Rev.  Henry  Duncan,  D.D. 

THE  CHRISTIAN    CONTEMPLATED, 

In  a  Course  of  Lectures  delivered  in  ilie  Argyle  Chapel    Bath.     By  Rev. 

William  Jay.      Now  Edition. 

WORKS  OF    REV.    HENRY   SCOUGAL. 

CHRISTIAN    FRAGMENTS. 

By  John  Bums,  M.D.,  F.R.S. 

CHRISTIAN    FATHER   AT   HOME; 

Or,  a  Manual  of  Parental  Instruction.      By  W.  C.  Brownlee,  D.D 

A  GLIMPSE  INTO 

THE  NA^ORLD  TO  COME, 

In  a  Waking  Dream.      By  the  laic   George  B.  Phillips. 

A   MESSAGE   FROM    GOD, 

To  thinking  Men.      By  Rev.  John  Cummings. 

THE   LIFE  OF    COL.   GARDINER. 

By   Dr.  DckU! ridge. 

HENRY  ON    PRAYER. 

BOGATZKY'S  GOLDEN   TREASURY. 

SERLES'    CHRISTIAN     REMEMBRANCER. 

A  CONCISE  SYSTEM    OF  THEOLOGY. 
Being  the  Shorter  Catechism  of  the  Westminster  Assembly  of  Divines, 
analyzed  and  explained.      By  Alexander  S.  Paterson,  A.M. 
7 


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INFANX    PIETY. 

A  Book  for  Little  Children.     By  Baptist  W.  Noel,  M.A. 

"Ill  this  volume  one  of  the  finest  spirits  in  the  established  church  of  England  ^ive* 
us  a  simple  record  of  the  pious  lives  and  happy  deaths  of  several  little  children  on 
both  sides  of  the  Atlantic.  The  work  is  well  adapted  to  accomplish  the  benevolent 
design  of  its  author,  by  leading  little  children  to  remember  their  Creator." — Albany 
Evening  Journal. 

A   MEMOIR   OF  JOHN    HUSS. 

Translated  fcom  the  German. 

"To  many  who  are  familiar  with  the  life  of  Martin  Luther,  that  of  John  Huse,  who 
preceded  him,  and  prepared  the  German  mind  for  his  more  extended  labours,  is  com- 
paratively little  known.  The  true  character  of  Romanism  is  displayed  in  the  treat- 
ment of  each,  but  some  of  the  darkest  shades  are  seen  in  the  case  of  Huss." — Baptitt 
Advocate. 

HELEN    OF   "THE  GLEN. 

A  Tale  of  the  Scottish  Covenanters.     By  Robert  PoUok,  A.M. 

THE   PERSECUTED   FAMILY. 

By  Pollok. 

RALPH   GEMMELL. 

By  Pollok. 

JESSYALLAN, 

The  Lame  Gh-1.     By  Grace  Kennedy,  author  of  "  Anna  Ross,"  &c. 
"It  is  an  affecting  tale,  and  strikingly  illustrates  the  power  of  religion,  and  its  fiiM 
Bilequacy  to  human  wants  in  every  emergency." — Christian  Mirror. 

SINNER'S    FRIEND. 

From  the  eiglity-seventh  London  Edition,  completing  upwards  of  half  a 

million. 

1^^°  This  little  Work  has  been  translated  into  sixteen  different  languages. 

"It  is  designed  by  its  direct  appeals,  to  arrest  the  attention  of  the  most  careiets 

reader,  and  to  pour  into  his  ear  some  word  of  truth  before  he  can  become  fatigued 

with  reading." — Presbyterian. 

"It  is  fitted  to  be  an  admirable  auxiliary  to  ministers  iu  the  discharge  of  their 
duty." — Albany  Daily  Advertiser. 

DECAPOLIS; 

Or,  the  Individual  Obligations  of  Christians  to  save  Souls  from  Death.  An 
Essay.  By  David  Everard  Ford.  Fifth  American,  from  the  sixth 
London  Edition. 

"This  book  is  an  exhortation  to  Christians,  and  Christian  ministers,  to  exercise 
greater  faithfulness  in  saving  souls  from  eternal  death.  We  have  read  it  with  much 
pleasure,  and  we  hope  with  some  profit.  The  book  is  most  beautifully  got  up  ;  and 
we  could  wish  that  it  might  oeread  and  pondered  _by  every  one  who  indulges  a  hope 
that  he  is  a  Christian." — N.  Y.  Eiiangelist. 

SHORTER    CATECHISM. 

Anecdotes  Illustrative  of  the  Shorter  Catechism.  By  John  Whitecross. 
New  Edition. 

"  This  will  relieve  the  catechism  of  a  difficulty  which  many  have  felt  in  respect  to  it 
—-thai  it  is  too  abstract  to  bt  comprehended  by  the  mind  of  a  child  ;  here  every  truth 
is  seen  in  its  practical  relations,  ar.d  becomes  associated  in  the  mind  with  some  inter- 
esting fact  which  is  fitted  at  once  to  make  it  plain  to  the  understanding,  to  lodge  it  in 
file  memory,  and  to  impress  it  upon  the  heart." — Daily  Advertifer 
8 


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